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No Monsters Like Hers #2
The Ember and the Emerald
From New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter comes a portal romantasy where a young woman's road home leads back into a nightmare… and the arms of the man fated to destroy her.
She escaped the monster realm.
Fate dragged her back—twenty years earlier.
Waking up in the past wasn’t on Moriah Shaker’s bingo card, but after surviving a brutal world of cannibals, rabdogs and lethal poppy fields, it happens anyway. Now, Moriah has one chance to save her mother, undoing the death that started it all.
First, she must return to Hakeldama, where survival is never guaranteed and destiny always demands sacrifice. At her side is Jasher, the ruthless, axe-wielding executioner who melts only for her. Until he’s trapped in a monstrous form, becoming a weapon for her destruction. To him, she’s an enemy. To her, he’s everything.
Armed with only a cryptic journal that whispers of a lost gemstone, Moriah is forced to bargain with a tricky water maiden who is equal parts redemption and ruin. Worse, she’s transforming into something she no longer The Oracle Great and Terrible.
As secrets unravel and a forbidden attraction rekindles, Moriah must decide what she’s willing to sacrifice to unravel the past she’s desperate to save…or the man she isn’t supposed to love.
She escaped the monster realm.
Fate dragged her back—twenty years earlier.
Waking up in the past wasn’t on Moriah Shaker’s bingo card, but after surviving a brutal world of cannibals, rabdogs and lethal poppy fields, it happens anyway. Now, Moriah has one chance to save her mother, undoing the death that started it all.
First, she must return to Hakeldama, where survival is never guaranteed and destiny always demands sacrifice. At her side is Jasher, the ruthless, axe-wielding executioner who melts only for her. Until he’s trapped in a monstrous form, becoming a weapon for her destruction. To him, she’s an enemy. To her, he’s everything.
Armed with only a cryptic journal that whispers of a lost gemstone, Moriah is forced to bargain with a tricky water maiden who is equal parts redemption and ruin. Worse, she’s transforming into something she no longer The Oracle Great and Terrible.
As secrets unravel and a forbidden attraction rekindles, Moriah must decide what she’s willing to sacrifice to unravel the past she’s desperate to save…or the man she isn’t supposed to love.
342 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 8, 2026
About the author
Gena Showalter
315 books28k followersGena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of over seventy books, including the acclaimed Lords of the Underworld series, the Gods of War series, the White Rabbit Chronicles, and the Forest of Good and Evil series. She writes sizzling paranormal romance, heartwarming contemporary romance, and unputdownable young adult novels, and lives in Oklahoma City with her family and menagerie of dogs and cats.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
June 2, 2026
Dangit 😭 I should have read slower.
This story is so beautifully put together, so interwoven with universal themes and character development and so much emotion. I felt SO MANY THINGS during this read.
Out of Gena’s many amazing heroines, Moriah is one of my favorites. I find her to be so real and such an inspiration at the same time. I love being inside her head so much I don’t even mind that it’s single POV! (I’ll always be a sucker for that dual POV, what can I say? 😂🥰)
And my gosh—what I wouldn’t give for a Jasher of my own. A flawed, incredible specimen of a man who struggles with the worldly forces trying to control him, when all he wants to do is live and love in peace. And his ferocity transcends his emotionality in such an exciting way!
I really like the addition of some fun side characters, too. That’s all I will say about that.
Crack open this series, my friends. It will not disappoint! (But do start with book one, The Great and Terrible.)
This story is so beautifully put together, so interwoven with universal themes and character development and so much emotion. I felt SO MANY THINGS during this read.
Out of Gena’s many amazing heroines, Moriah is one of my favorites. I find her to be so real and such an inspiration at the same time. I love being inside her head so much I don’t even mind that it’s single POV! (I’ll always be a sucker for that dual POV, what can I say? 😂🥰)
And my gosh—what I wouldn’t give for a Jasher of my own. A flawed, incredible specimen of a man who struggles with the worldly forces trying to control him, when all he wants to do is live and love in peace. And his ferocity transcends his emotionality in such an exciting way!
I really like the addition of some fun side characters, too. That’s all I will say about that.
Crack open this series, my friends. It will not disappoint! (But do start with book one, The Great and Terrible.)
June 12, 2026
From New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter comes a portal romantasy where a young woman's road home leads back into a nightmare… and the arms of the man fated to destroy her.
Who wouldn’t want to read a book by Gena Showalter when the blurb starts off with the above paragraph!??!!
This storyline kept me on the edge of my seat! There is adventure, romance, suspense. Moriah has to determine who she can trust, can she trust Jasher or the water maiden or Kevin?!
You must read the first book in the series, The Great and Terrible, to better understand Moriah and Jasher. I believe you will enjoy both!
The Ember and The Emerald does end on a cliffhanger, but I’m am sure waiting for the next book will be totally worth it!! I love this series and look forward to the next book!
Who wouldn’t want to read a book by Gena Showalter when the blurb starts off with the above paragraph!??!!
This storyline kept me on the edge of my seat! There is adventure, romance, suspense. Moriah has to determine who she can trust, can she trust Jasher or the water maiden or Kevin?!
You must read the first book in the series, The Great and Terrible, to better understand Moriah and Jasher. I believe you will enjoy both!
The Ember and The Emerald does end on a cliffhanger, but I’m am sure waiting for the next book will be totally worth it!! I love this series and look forward to the next book!
June 8, 2026
The Ember and the Emerald is the second installment in Gena Showalter’s No Monsters Like Hers Trilogy. If you haven’t read the first book, The Great And Terrible, you’ll need to before reading this one, since the second book picks up where the first left off. The second I knew Gena Showalter was writing a Wizard of Oz retelling, I knew I had to pick up the first book, and then I couldn’t wait to read this one. She’s one of my auto-buy authors, and I’ll read whatever she writes, so I’m glad she decided to venture into the Wizard of Oz. It was one of the movies I used to watch over and over again and drive my parents crazy. =)
This book follows heroine Moriah as she goes back twenty years in the past, where her mother is pregnant with her, but she needs to get to Hakeldama so she can hopefully change the past and save her mother. The second she gets to Hakeldama, she’ll face the same dangers again, and survival is everything when she’s trying to save what is going to happen to her mother, as well as others. Poor Moriah, though, is going to find out the truth about herself and why she never felt like Kansas was home, while also learning other secrets. She has Jasher with her, but his feelings for her are not all happiness, especially when he is an exact copy of the enemy she’s trying to defeat, and everyone they encounter is afraid of him because he’s a monstra. She also finds out things about Jasher that will make her not trust him completely. When she finally faces one of the threats to her and her mother, she ends up realizing there are others that are at play, and now she has to find out how to take them out, too.
What I loved about this book is how it kept me engaged. The adventures and dangers that Moriah had to endure again kept me on the edge of my seat. When it came to the secrets that were being revealed, I already had it figured out because of hints throughout the book, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying it. I had a funny feeling that Moriah was someone special, and then there was the fact that she was constantly being targeted. I loved how much she’s grown since book one. She’s not someone to mess with because she’ll handle anything thrown at her because she has to, but she does have Jasher, as well as others, who will assist her.
When it came to her forbidden attraction to Jasher, it’s still there, and I feel for Moriah when she has to make a hard decision at the end. I had to agree with her decision after she found out the truth. I loved that Moriah never gave up on Jasher, even if he was her enemy due to his maker. Jasher is definitely that morally grey character, and he is very protective of Moriah, even if he is trying to fight his feelings.
I want to mention that if you are expecting steam in this book. Just know there is only kissing. There is yearning, though. Lots of forbidden yearning.
I loved the side characters and unique characters that were introduced, including a chicken named Cluck Cluck and a robot named Kevin, who I have a feeling is going to play an intricate part in the final installment.
This is a Wizard of Oz retelling, but it’s definitely not like The Wizard of Oz because Gena Showalter has a wild imagination, and I love her spin on things in these books.
Overall, another great installment that kept me on the edge of my seat and left me with another cliffhanger, and I give this book four stars. I can’t wait for the final installment. Hopefully, Moriah will finally take out the other threats revealed in this book and find her happily ever after with Jasher because those two are definitely meant to have one. They just have to survive what is to come next. Gena, please give Moriah a well-needed happiness. She deserves it, after everything she learned in this book about herself.
If you enjoy Portal/Time Travel Fantasies and are looking for a Wizard of Oz Retelling, then check out the No Monsters Like Hers books from Gena Showalter. The final installment comes out next year, so you have time to catch up before then.
What to Expect:
✔️Wizard of Oz Retelling
✔️Forbidden Love
✔️Slow Burn
✔️Morally Grey Hero
✔️Monsters
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
This book follows heroine Moriah as she goes back twenty years in the past, where her mother is pregnant with her, but she needs to get to Hakeldama so she can hopefully change the past and save her mother. The second she gets to Hakeldama, she’ll face the same dangers again, and survival is everything when she’s trying to save what is going to happen to her mother, as well as others. Poor Moriah, though, is going to find out the truth about herself and why she never felt like Kansas was home, while also learning other secrets. She has Jasher with her, but his feelings for her are not all happiness, especially when he is an exact copy of the enemy she’s trying to defeat, and everyone they encounter is afraid of him because he’s a monstra. She also finds out things about Jasher that will make her not trust him completely. When she finally faces one of the threats to her and her mother, she ends up realizing there are others that are at play, and now she has to find out how to take them out, too.
What I loved about this book is how it kept me engaged. The adventures and dangers that Moriah had to endure again kept me on the edge of my seat. When it came to the secrets that were being revealed, I already had it figured out because of hints throughout the book, but that didn’t stop me from enjoying it. I had a funny feeling that Moriah was someone special, and then there was the fact that she was constantly being targeted. I loved how much she’s grown since book one. She’s not someone to mess with because she’ll handle anything thrown at her because she has to, but she does have Jasher, as well as others, who will assist her.
When it came to her forbidden attraction to Jasher, it’s still there, and I feel for Moriah when she has to make a hard decision at the end. I had to agree with her decision after she found out the truth. I loved that Moriah never gave up on Jasher, even if he was her enemy due to his maker. Jasher is definitely that morally grey character, and he is very protective of Moriah, even if he is trying to fight his feelings.
I want to mention that if you are expecting steam in this book. Just know there is only kissing. There is yearning, though. Lots of forbidden yearning.
I loved the side characters and unique characters that were introduced, including a chicken named Cluck Cluck and a robot named Kevin, who I have a feeling is going to play an intricate part in the final installment.
This is a Wizard of Oz retelling, but it’s definitely not like The Wizard of Oz because Gena Showalter has a wild imagination, and I love her spin on things in these books.
Overall, another great installment that kept me on the edge of my seat and left me with another cliffhanger, and I give this book four stars. I can’t wait for the final installment. Hopefully, Moriah will finally take out the other threats revealed in this book and find her happily ever after with Jasher because those two are definitely meant to have one. They just have to survive what is to come next. Gena, please give Moriah a well-needed happiness. She deserves it, after everything she learned in this book about herself.
If you enjoy Portal/Time Travel Fantasies and are looking for a Wizard of Oz Retelling, then check out the No Monsters Like Hers books from Gena Showalter. The final installment comes out next year, so you have time to catch up before then.
What to Expect:
✔️Wizard of Oz Retelling
✔️Forbidden Love
✔️Slow Burn
✔️Morally Grey Hero
✔️Monsters
I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
GENA, WE NEED TO TALK!
First off, I am just so utterly invested in Moriah and Jasher's story, and I was not disappointed. The love… the hope…the angst… just All OF THE FEELS! I felt every bit of it. Did I cry? You bet you’re a** I did, and more than once. I am utterly wrecked after reading this. Especially after the end! OMG THE ENDING! Talk about a cliffhanger!
Secondly, the writing of this book is phenomenal. It is such an intricate storyline that intertwines through time loops, and if you were to try to visualize it, it would seem like it should be a big, knotted ball, but it’s not! It was mesmerizing to watch the story unfold further and further with more depth being revealed.
If you're interested in this book, you absolutely need to read Book #1 The Great and Terrible first to understand this book!
Gena Showalter’s books have always held a special place in my heart, and I cannot wait to read what she does next!
First off, I am just so utterly invested in Moriah and Jasher's story, and I was not disappointed. The love… the hope…the angst… just All OF THE FEELS! I felt every bit of it. Did I cry? You bet you’re a** I did, and more than once. I am utterly wrecked after reading this. Especially after the end! OMG THE ENDING! Talk about a cliffhanger!
Secondly, the writing of this book is phenomenal. It is such an intricate storyline that intertwines through time loops, and if you were to try to visualize it, it would seem like it should be a big, knotted ball, but it’s not! It was mesmerizing to watch the story unfold further and further with more depth being revealed.
If you're interested in this book, you absolutely need to read Book #1 The Great and Terrible first to understand this book!
Gena Showalter’s books have always held a special place in my heart, and I cannot wait to read what she does next!
June 9, 2026
Gena crafts a beautiful tale. By the end of this book I was ripping through the battle much like our band of heroes.
Starting with rejoining our favorite couple from the first book, Moriah and Jasher. We follow them through a rollercoaster of ups and downs. The battle to Hakeldama has come back into play. We got some timeline jumping that lands our couple into some hot water. IYKYK. With so many twists and turns I found this just as hard to put down as her other novels.
Can we also take a moment to appreciate the mystery of KEVIN....an absolute doll! 😆 Pick this up and prepare your selves for another dive into the beautiful Kingdom of Hakeldama.
To take one's breath away with such a simple sentence in the monstra code.
"In lost oaths, vows endure. You’re only undoing.”-Moriah ❤️
Thank you Gena. 🖤💜
Starting with rejoining our favorite couple from the first book, Moriah and Jasher. We follow them through a rollercoaster of ups and downs. The battle to Hakeldama has come back into play. We got some timeline jumping that lands our couple into some hot water. IYKYK. With so many twists and turns I found this just as hard to put down as her other novels.
Can we also take a moment to appreciate the mystery of KEVIN....an absolute doll! 😆 Pick this up and prepare your selves for another dive into the beautiful Kingdom of Hakeldama.
To take one's breath away with such a simple sentence in the monstra code.
"In lost oaths, vows endure. You’re only undoing.”-Moriah ❤️
Thank you Gena. 🖤💜
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
That ending! There’s no way I could’ve predicted that, and I don’t even know what “that” is yet?! And the entire water maiden plot! Wow, I did not see that coming at all.
This story was packed with so much lore and additional world building & with the time jumps it became confusing at times, but I will say it all added to the plot. Throughout the story I also occasionally struggled with how naive and clueless our FMC was. To me it was very clear that she was the Ember, and the note her past/future/whatever self left for her was so incredibly easy to decode 😭 The time jumps were very interesting though & I loved meeting little Jashy :’) I do really wish we got to see Nugget in this story < /3 and I’m super curious about Kevin… and Cluck Cluck… no idea what’s going on with those two.
Thank you so much for the advanced copy in exchange of an honest review!
This story was packed with so much lore and additional world building & with the time jumps it became confusing at times, but I will say it all added to the plot. Throughout the story I also occasionally struggled with how naive and clueless our FMC was. To me it was very clear that she was the Ember, and the note her past/future/whatever self left for her was so incredibly easy to decode 😭 The time jumps were very interesting though & I loved meeting little Jashy :’) I do really wish we got to see Nugget in this story < /3 and I’m super curious about Kevin… and Cluck Cluck… no idea what’s going on with those two.
Thank you so much for the advanced copy in exchange of an honest review!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 8, 2026
Gena is an epic storyteller. She knows exactly where to drop the tiny bits of information you might gloss over only to piece it together at the perfect moment to reveal its importance! You really have to pay attention to the smallest details. In this latest edition it is all about role reversal and discovery. This time Moriah is better equipped to deal with the unexpected and just roll with it. Her biggest problem is just trying to break through to her Jasher oh and trying to decode all the clues she left herself. There are new characters that add much needed comic relief. The danger is higher, the odds are greater and the twists are unimaginable. But dangit Gena! That cliffhanger left me on the edge, and I need the next book now!!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Oh my stars! What a story!
Moriah and Jasherr find themselves in Kansas, but 20 years earlier. Moriah sees her mother, pregnant with Moriah.... What a mess.
Moriah starts having actual visions and time jumping.
She's not sure if Jasper is truly on her side.
She's been leaving herself critic messages, that she can't comprehend.
She finds herself physically changing and learning new things about herself and Jasher.
The book is filled with surprises that will make your head explode!
Thank you to Gena Showalter for the advanced copy
Moriah and Jasherr find themselves in Kansas, but 20 years earlier. Moriah sees her mother, pregnant with Moriah.... What a mess.
Moriah starts having actual visions and time jumping.
She's not sure if Jasper is truly on her side.
She's been leaving herself critic messages, that she can't comprehend.
She finds herself physically changing and learning new things about herself and Jasher.
The book is filled with surprises that will make your head explode!
Thank you to Gena Showalter for the advanced copy
June 10, 2026
We begin where the last book left off, so definitely read that one first. Moriah and Jasper have gone back in time, and to the place Moriah grew up, and they need to find their way back to Hakeldama.
I love Moriah and Jasher, and the emotional turmoil they both went through was harrowing, and was so satisfying when things got back on track. This story drew me in and had me hooked until I reached the last page. Things from the last book are starting to come together, new secrets and plots are coming to light, and that cliffhanger has me so excited for the next book!
I love Moriah and Jasher, and the emotional turmoil they both went through was harrowing, and was so satisfying when things got back on track. This story drew me in and had me hooked until I reached the last page. Things from the last book are starting to come together, new secrets and plots are coming to light, and that cliffhanger has me so excited for the next book!
June 15, 2026
Amazing book
All I can say is when you think you know what will happen Gena Showalter throws curveballs , amazing curveballs I did not expect the 2nd book to finish the way it did but that's why I love her books she is an amazing storyteller and she is one of the few authors who's books I can devour in a couple of days, just like expected she did an amazing job with this one and I can't wait for the next one
All I can say is when you think you know what will happen Gena Showalter throws curveballs , amazing curveballs I did not expect the 2nd book to finish the way it did but that's why I love her books she is an amazing storyteller and she is one of the few authors who's books I can devour in a couple of days, just like expected she did an amazing job with this one and I can't wait for the next one
Review of advance copy received from Author
Wizard of Oz vibes with time traveling!
Nothing good ever comes from trying to unravel the events of the past. Though Moriah is determined to save her family and the man she isn’t supposed to love. This journey has action-packed events at every turn.
Nothing good ever comes from trying to unravel the events of the past. Though Moriah is determined to save her family and the man she isn’t supposed to love. This journey has action-packed events at every turn.
July 6, 2026
I love anything Gena Showalter writes. This book was a little hard to start, as it felt like it starts in the middle of the story. As I kept reading, more of the story began to emerge. It is a time travel storyline, and it was done beautifully. I can't wait for the next book!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
WOW!
What a turn this story has taken. As somethings come to a head, a twist at the end leaves us on the edge of our seats!
I am not sure I can wait until next year to see what happens next!!!
What a turn this story has taken. As somethings come to a head, a twist at the end leaves us on the edge of our seats!
I am not sure I can wait until next year to see what happens next!!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Wow. Just finished this book and am still pondering what I think of the ending.
First - it's critical to read The Great and Terrible (the 1st book in the No Monsters Like Hers series) first. The Ember and the Emerald will not make sense if the 1st book is not read first. It picks up where the 1st book ended.
The Ember and the Emerald loops back in time. Moriah has a chance - or so she thinks - to correct past wrongs to ensure a better ending. She discovers that is not always the case. This book answered some of the questions that carried over from the prior book while raising new ones.The book does end on a cliffhanger. I believe the next book is the conclusion to the series, so I look forward to seeing how everything will wrap up.
First - it's critical to read The Great and Terrible (the 1st book in the No Monsters Like Hers series) first. The Ember and the Emerald will not make sense if the 1st book is not read first. It picks up where the 1st book ended.
The Ember and the Emerald loops back in time. Moriah has a chance - or so she thinks - to correct past wrongs to ensure a better ending. She discovers that is not always the case. This book answered some of the questions that carried over from the prior book while raising new ones.The book does end on a cliffhanger. I believe the next book is the conclusion to the series, so I look forward to seeing how everything will wrap up.
June 25, 2026
More confused than ever... I guess I'll just have to wait for the this book to figure out what just happened.
July 9, 2026
This book started interesting, It has A LOT of revelations and heartbreak 💔💔
Can't wait for the last part of Moria, Jasher & Ozland's story ❤️🩹❤️🩹
Can't wait for the last part of Moria, Jasher & Ozland's story ❤️🩹❤️🩹
July 22, 2026
All I have to say is, I hope we don’t have to wait 2 years for the next book, after that cliffhanger.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews