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The Threadmender Chronicles #2
Manor of Decay
Edira Brillwyn is not enjoying retirement. She's traumatized and heartbroken by Orin and the battle at Fernglove Manor. Although her brothers are safe and financially secure at home in Willowfell, she fears of wasting away her dwindling lifethreads. It's a welcome surprise when Seville comes knocking at her door – at least until she reveals that the blight has returned to the Ferngloves.
Edira has had a taste of the power her heartbond with Rorik provides, and she's certain there is a way to cure the blight for good… with Rorik's help. But Rorik doesn't think his life is worth saving, at least not worth Edira's few remaining years, or months. He's more concerned about keeping her alive than saving the world.
But other powerful Ever families have caught wind of Edira's talents and are desperate for a cure. As those families begin circling, centuries-long conflicts rise to the surface and, once again, Edira finds herself at the whims of power-hungry Evers fighting for their lives. Before she runs out of time altogether, Edira and Rorik will have to face the source of the Death himself.
Edira has had a taste of the power her heartbond with Rorik provides, and she's certain there is a way to cure the blight for good… with Rorik's help. But Rorik doesn't think his life is worth saving, at least not worth Edira's few remaining years, or months. He's more concerned about keeping her alive than saving the world.
But other powerful Ever families have caught wind of Edira's talents and are desperate for a cure. As those families begin circling, centuries-long conflicts rise to the surface and, once again, Edira finds herself at the whims of power-hungry Evers fighting for their lives. Before she runs out of time altogether, Edira and Rorik will have to face the source of the Death himself.
1 pages, MP3 CD
First published July 7, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 252 reviews
December 30, 2025
This was not at all what I was expecting the second book to be and I still loved every single second of it!
House of Blight quickly became one of my favorite reads last year and Manor of Decay is no different. I loved this story just as much as the first book!
House of Blight quickly became one of my favorite reads last year and Manor of Decay is no different. I loved this story just as much as the first book!
June 23, 2026
I FLEW through House of Blight in a day, so I was extremely excited for this sequel and conclusion to The Threadmender Chronicles duology. Overall, this was a solid conclusion!
🎁 eARC gifted to me by Harper Voyager
🗓️ pub date: July 7, 2026
Spice rating: 🌶️🌶️
One of my favorite things about this duology is the unique magic system. I adore Edira's character and find her powers/abilities to be very refreshing. Her ability to heal and manipulate people's life threads is not a common power/ability I've seen in popular romantasy books.
Like House of Blight, I'd consider Manor of Decay a new adult gothic fantasy romance. I consider it new adult because of how their relationship progresses and dialogue (this includes internal monologue). At times, the random curse words thrown throughout felt oddly placed and a bit forced. It almost felt like Maxym M. Martineau was trying to establish this as an adult book with both the dialogue and THAT spice scene (our girl likes an audience), but it just didn't totally feel natural. Not sure if I'm just being really picky. THAT BEING SAID, I don't want this note to be misconstrued—✨that✨ scene was hot, it just felt oddly placed in this story. Like a puzzle piece that just didn’t quite fit.
I need to take a second to appreciate our Insect Daddy. He is SO back and down more bad than ever. I adore his character and how deeply he cares for Edira. A man who is willing to burn down the world for his woman will get me every time. No notes.
My primary reasons for not rating Manor of Decay 5 stars comes down to the big "conflict" at the end, the pacing, and the lack of clarity for what happens/happened with the side characters:
- The ending almost felt a bit rushed and anticlimactic. It felt like everything was resolved too easily after ALL that build up.
- The pacing was inconsistent IN MY OPINION. I was almost on loop throughout this entire book—either I'd be losing interest OR I was glued to the pages and couldn't put it down. It created an odd reading experience even though I love the story as a whole.
- What going on with her brothers? Ossanna? Seville? Is that just it for them? I hope this duology will be a duet within a larger series because I definitely want more from these characters and this world. While this duology nicely wraps up Edira and Rorik's story, it feels like the author intentionally left these other characters' stories open to build on this story in the future.
Even though I enjoyed book 1 more than this conclusion, I still love this duology as a whole and recommend it to other gothic romantasy lovers.
🎁 eARC gifted to me by Harper Voyager
🗓️ pub date: July 7, 2026
Spice rating: 🌶️🌶️
One of my favorite things about this duology is the unique magic system. I adore Edira's character and find her powers/abilities to be very refreshing. Her ability to heal and manipulate people's life threads is not a common power/ability I've seen in popular romantasy books.
Like House of Blight, I'd consider Manor of Decay a new adult gothic fantasy romance. I consider it new adult because of how their relationship progresses and dialogue (this includes internal monologue). At times, the random curse words thrown throughout felt oddly placed and a bit forced. It almost felt like Maxym M. Martineau was trying to establish this as an adult book with both the dialogue and THAT spice scene (our girl likes an audience), but it just didn't totally feel natural. Not sure if I'm just being really picky. THAT BEING SAID, I don't want this note to be misconstrued—✨that✨ scene was hot, it just felt oddly placed in this story. Like a puzzle piece that just didn’t quite fit.
I need to take a second to appreciate our Insect Daddy. He is SO back and down more bad than ever. I adore his character and how deeply he cares for Edira. A man who is willing to burn down the world for his woman will get me every time. No notes.
My primary reasons for not rating Manor of Decay 5 stars comes down to the big "conflict" at the end, the pacing, and the lack of clarity for what happens/happened with the side characters:
- The ending almost felt a bit rushed and anticlimactic. It felt like everything was resolved too easily after ALL that build up.
- The pacing was inconsistent IN MY OPINION. I was almost on loop throughout this entire book—either I'd be losing interest OR I was glued to the pages and couldn't put it down. It created an odd reading experience even though I love the story as a whole.
- What going on with her brothers? Ossanna? Seville? Is that just it for them? I hope this duology will be a duet within a larger series because I definitely want more from these characters and this world. While this duology nicely wraps up Edira and Rorik's story, it feels like the author intentionally left these other characters' stories open to build on this story in the future.
Even though I enjoyed book 1 more than this conclusion, I still love this duology as a whole and recommend it to other gothic romantasy lovers.
August 7, 2026
“I would break my heart, I would break both of our hearts, over and over again, if it meant you got to live one more day on this earth.”
An absolutely stunning and phenomenal conclusion to this duology! I loved House of Blight and have been awaiting this sequel for so long. It certainly delivered because I could not put it down.
The story continues from Book 1’s ending with a recurring conflict that Edira must overcome a bit differently. The worldbuilding was well developed this time with a deeper exploration of the unique magic system and added lore. The gothic elements to this were just as intriguing and gorgeous as before. And the emotional stakes were much higher in this because I was so stressed for my favorite characters.
I am OBSESSED with Rorik and Edira! They were everything I wanted in this book. I loved their slow-burn chemistry, tension, sarcastic banter, and the way they worked so well together. The push and pull between them was so entertaining and I was constantly giggling during every moment they had🤭
- “I loved her with a purpose unlike anything I’d ever known. Being hers was an intentional choice. One I’d make over and over again”
- “I will bring Death to his knees, sever his very head from his shoulders, and doom my kind to a mortal, painful death if it means I would gain even one more second with you. Blight be damned. Let the world suffer.”
Rorik is one of my favorite book boyfriends now. If you loved Cardan Greenbriar from TCP or Elm from One Dark Window, you will adore him! I loved how he was so protective and selfless towards Edira every time and always looked out for her best interests. My heart hurt for him so much after seeing his upbringing from Book 1, though I would have loved to see more that in this conclusion too. He was so down bad for Edira every time and I enjoyed seeing him become enamored with her while learning to slowly open up. I did not expect the “insect daddy” trope to ever become a thing for me but I loved his character so much from the start.
I also really admired Edira’s growth and seeing her relationships with all the characters. I enjoyed seeing her character development and felt that her internal struggles were portrayed in such a realistic way. I felt so much for her and wanted her to be happy. It was refreshing to see her learn more about her powers and her constant determination made me so proud of her.
I loved seeing more from the other characters, along with the interesting antagonists. Although it would have been great to see more of the Evers again, I felt that the duology wrapped up well within my expectations. I want more from the other characters and would love to read a novella/third book if the author were to ever do that in the future👀
A million thank you’s to Avon & Harper Voyager, the author, and NetGalley for the eARC!!
An absolutely stunning and phenomenal conclusion to this duology! I loved House of Blight and have been awaiting this sequel for so long. It certainly delivered because I could not put it down.
The story continues from Book 1’s ending with a recurring conflict that Edira must overcome a bit differently. The worldbuilding was well developed this time with a deeper exploration of the unique magic system and added lore. The gothic elements to this were just as intriguing and gorgeous as before. And the emotional stakes were much higher in this because I was so stressed for my favorite characters.
I am OBSESSED with Rorik and Edira! They were everything I wanted in this book. I loved their slow-burn chemistry, tension, sarcastic banter, and the way they worked so well together. The push and pull between them was so entertaining and I was constantly giggling during every moment they had🤭
- “I loved her with a purpose unlike anything I’d ever known. Being hers was an intentional choice. One I’d make over and over again”
- “I will bring Death to his knees, sever his very head from his shoulders, and doom my kind to a mortal, painful death if it means I would gain even one more second with you. Blight be damned. Let the world suffer.”
Rorik is one of my favorite book boyfriends now. If you loved Cardan Greenbriar from TCP or Elm from One Dark Window, you will adore him! I loved how he was so protective and selfless towards Edira every time and always looked out for her best interests. My heart hurt for him so much after seeing his upbringing from Book 1, though I would have loved to see more that in this conclusion too. He was so down bad for Edira every time and I enjoyed seeing him become enamored with her while learning to slowly open up. I did not expect the “insect daddy” trope to ever become a thing for me but I loved his character so much from the start.
I also really admired Edira’s growth and seeing her relationships with all the characters. I enjoyed seeing her character development and felt that her internal struggles were portrayed in such a realistic way. I felt so much for her and wanted her to be happy. It was refreshing to see her learn more about her powers and her constant determination made me so proud of her.
I loved seeing more from the other characters, along with the interesting antagonists. Although it would have been great to see more of the Evers again, I felt that the duology wrapped up well within my expectations. I want more from the other characters and would love to read a novella/third book if the author were to ever do that in the future👀
A million thank you’s to Avon & Harper Voyager, the author, and NetGalley for the eARC!!
June 16, 2026
I loved House of Blight, so my expectations for Manor of Decay were sky high, and somehow this book still exceeded them. The story takes the world in such an interesting direction, expanding the lore, raising the stakes, and delivering a sequel that felt fresh instead of simply repeating what worked in book one. I picked this up and absolutely devoured it in a single day.
Edira and Rorik completely had me invested. The tension, the longing, and the emotional weight between them made every scene feel meaningful, and I loved seeing their relationship continue to grow alongside the larger story. The gothic atmosphere, unique magic system, and found family elements were just as strong as ever.
I listened to the audiobook and, while dual narration is not usually my preferred format, the narrators did a fantastic job bringing these characters to life. It was an immersive listening experience that kept me hooked from beginning to end.
This duology is one of the most unique romantasy stories I’ve read in a long time, and I cannot recommend it enough. Also, I never expected “insect daddy” to be a thing for me, yet here we are. Five stars, no notes. Thanks to the publishers for the ARC and ALC.
Edira and Rorik completely had me invested. The tension, the longing, and the emotional weight between them made every scene feel meaningful, and I loved seeing their relationship continue to grow alongside the larger story. The gothic atmosphere, unique magic system, and found family elements were just as strong as ever.
I listened to the audiobook and, while dual narration is not usually my preferred format, the narrators did a fantastic job bringing these characters to life. It was an immersive listening experience that kept me hooked from beginning to end.
This duology is one of the most unique romantasy stories I’ve read in a long time, and I cannot recommend it enough. Also, I never expected “insect daddy” to be a thing for me, yet here we are. Five stars, no notes. Thanks to the publishers for the ARC and ALC.
July 27, 2026
3.5/5
i can’t lie, i didn’t enjoy this one as much as book one. i tried my absolute best to hammer through it, and it could not hold my attention for longer than around 30 pages at a time. i fell in love with book one because of the hauntingly beautiful gothic atmosphere and maxym’s vivid writing style. it was botanical and full of decay, and i ate it up. book two brought the same vibes, but the story just wasn’t adding up for me. i felt like we somewhat got a do-over of book one, but waaaay slower and with less mystery and suspense. there was also one fundamental question(s) (that tbh, i think is a plot hole), which is: why does she even care about this family? why does she care about ANY of the evers? outside of her heart bond with rorik, which presumably functions like “mates” in the traditional romantasy sense, his family was not only just mean to her, but was actively using her and coercing her to use her magic at her life force’s expense. while they may not been 100% on board with orin’s plan, their family’s ultimate goal at the end of the day is still the same in book two as it was in book one: cure the blight by whatever means necessary so they can live forever. it is entirely selfishly motivated. i don’t get the newly established found family-like connect amongst our fmc and the ferngloves, and after almost dying trying to heal them last time, i don’t get why she would waste what little time she has curing them. again, yes, i get the whole rorik heartbond thing, but i wasn’t even fully sold on their romance throughout the book either. numerous times i had to roll my eyes because you had edira making these grand admissions of love that felt nearly entirely one sided, with his responses mostly sarcastic or with a dismissive and conversation ending “i love you too”. i want my mmc on his hands and knees down bad for his woman, unable to STOP telling her his innermost feelings about her. that did not happen in this book. people keep on bringing up the yearning, but can i ask where?
the ending of this book was also somehow entirety predictable while also not explaining how a single thing happened. what actually transpired between edira and death in the end was left to the imagination, with an ambiguous and existential “death becomes you” as the explanation for how things came to be, making our two book build up feel anticlimactic and terribly convenient. she now gets to live and undying life alongside her evers and it’s all happily ever after. cool. boring. next. i’m over it!
i can’t lie, i didn’t enjoy this one as much as book one. i tried my absolute best to hammer through it, and it could not hold my attention for longer than around 30 pages at a time. i fell in love with book one because of the hauntingly beautiful gothic atmosphere and maxym’s vivid writing style. it was botanical and full of decay, and i ate it up. book two brought the same vibes, but the story just wasn’t adding up for me. i felt like we somewhat got a do-over of book one, but waaaay slower and with less mystery and suspense. there was also one fundamental question(s) (that tbh, i think is a plot hole), which is: why does she even care about this family? why does she care about ANY of the evers? outside of her heart bond with rorik, which presumably functions like “mates” in the traditional romantasy sense, his family was not only just mean to her, but was actively using her and coercing her to use her magic at her life force’s expense. while they may not been 100% on board with orin’s plan, their family’s ultimate goal at the end of the day is still the same in book two as it was in book one: cure the blight by whatever means necessary so they can live forever. it is entirely selfishly motivated. i don’t get the newly established found family-like connect amongst our fmc and the ferngloves, and after almost dying trying to heal them last time, i don’t get why she would waste what little time she has curing them. again, yes, i get the whole rorik heartbond thing, but i wasn’t even fully sold on their romance throughout the book either. numerous times i had to roll my eyes because you had edira making these grand admissions of love that felt nearly entirely one sided, with his responses mostly sarcastic or with a dismissive and conversation ending “i love you too”. i want my mmc on his hands and knees down bad for his woman, unable to STOP telling her his innermost feelings about her. that did not happen in this book. people keep on bringing up the yearning, but can i ask where?
the ending of this book was also somehow entirety predictable while also not explaining how a single thing happened. what actually transpired between edira and death in the end was left to the imagination, with an ambiguous and existential “death becomes you” as the explanation for how things came to be, making our two book build up feel anticlimactic and terribly convenient. she now gets to live and undying life alongside her evers and it’s all happily ever after. cool. boring. next. i’m over it!
June 13, 2026
4.5
A wonderful ending to a fantastic romantasy duology. I could gush about many things and accidentally spoil it, so I’ll keep this review simple. The first half is pretty slow. Rorik is his usual arse of a self while Edira continues to be stubborn, frustrated, and selfless. Seville wiggled her way into my heart. The second half is non-stop action an and it’s GOOD. Spicy. Full of surprises. The ending was just right. Prepare tissues! I’m sad to leave the world of the Evers, but love a good duology that buttons everything up nicely.
I was gifted an egalley and an advanced listeners copy, so once the plot picked up, I switched to the alc and cranked up the speed to 2x on the NetGalley app, abandoning all hopes of an immersive read. I HAD to know what was going to happen. It was that good!
Thank you x100 to Harper Voyager for the gifted copies. I need meow Threadmenders and Evers!
A wonderful ending to a fantastic romantasy duology. I could gush about many things and accidentally spoil it, so I’ll keep this review simple. The first half is pretty slow. Rorik is his usual arse of a self while Edira continues to be stubborn, frustrated, and selfless. Seville wiggled her way into my heart. The second half is non-stop action an and it’s GOOD. Spicy. Full of surprises. The ending was just right. Prepare tissues! I’m sad to leave the world of the Evers, but love a good duology that buttons everything up nicely.
I was gifted an egalley and an advanced listeners copy, so once the plot picked up, I switched to the alc and cranked up the speed to 2x on the NetGalley app, abandoning all hopes of an immersive read. I HAD to know what was going to happen. It was that good!
Thank you x100 to Harper Voyager for the gifted copies. I need meow Threadmenders and Evers!
July 12, 2026
4.5⭐️’s the perfect conclusion! It left me wanting more from these characters and I’m happy to see we are getting that with another book in this world!
July 23, 2026
3 Stars for Manor of Decay: The Threadmender Chronicles, Book 2 (audiobook) by Maxim M. Martineau read by Alexandra Hunter and Stephen Dexter.
Somehow I didn’t realize that this was the second book in the series. The story was alright but I felt kind of lost though out it.
Somehow I didn’t realize that this was the second book in the series. The story was alright but I felt kind of lost though out it.
July 1, 2026
Fabulous conclusion to one of my absolute favorite books last year, House of Blight! 🖤
In book 2, the blight we thought was gone, is back!
I love the gothic atmosphere to this duology and the ending was so good! I did feel at times it slowed down with the pacing but regardless it all came full circle.
This is truly an original story, with amazing found family, a very tension filled romance and ended in a way that makes sense!
I definitely think this is a must read fantasy romance duology 🪲
In book 2, the blight we thought was gone, is back!
I love the gothic atmosphere to this duology and the ending was so good! I did feel at times it slowed down with the pacing but regardless it all came full circle.
This is truly an original story, with amazing found family, a very tension filled romance and ended in a way that makes sense!
I definitely think this is a must read fantasy romance duology 🪲
November 30, 2025
✨ARC Review✨
I read "House of Blight" in October and it was one of my favorite books I read that month!
This sequel and conclusion was pretty solid, although I will say, I think I liked House of Blight more, I thought the pacing was a little better.
In this second book I loved how we got back into the land of the Evers. I really liked the overall premise of what was happening. I loved exploring the Heartbond with Rorik, cause I mean it's RORIK. I loved the stakes of her life fading more and more as the days go on, and I loved that we had to find a new way to fix the blight that was resurfacing while exploring her magic more and figuring out how to make it work with Rorik's!
Rorik was incredible just like in book one. He has fantastic page presence. I loved that we had a way to communicate with the heartbond. It was just overall very good. Tension was tensioning and the pay off was great.
The side characters that we know and love from book one come back, so we get more of them and I really loved seeing them again. Especially her brothers, getting more of them, and the moth Ywena! She is adorable.
Overall the story was easy to follow, the motivations were easy to root for. My only gripe is I wish we had a longer wrap up to the story. We have the "big battle" scene... and that felt really rushed. We didn't spend a lot of time in it or learning the ramifications for it, we are just all of the sudden okay with everything. I think it would have made it more impactful if we spent time with our FMC realizing what just happened and how she has changed. And I wish we had longer in the aftermath of everything wrapping it up. The pacing up to that point in the book was good, but the ending was incredibly quick like they had a set number of pages they wanted the book to be and didn't have enough pages left to spend time in the aftermath.
Other than the pacing at the end I adored this story and I am upset that is it only a duology cause I want more of these characters and world, the magic was so cool and so much fun to visualize. Maybe someday we can see Rorik again. *fingers crossed*
I read "House of Blight" in October and it was one of my favorite books I read that month!
This sequel and conclusion was pretty solid, although I will say, I think I liked House of Blight more, I thought the pacing was a little better.
In this second book I loved how we got back into the land of the Evers. I really liked the overall premise of what was happening. I loved exploring the Heartbond with Rorik, cause I mean it's RORIK. I loved the stakes of her life fading more and more as the days go on, and I loved that we had to find a new way to fix the blight that was resurfacing while exploring her magic more and figuring out how to make it work with Rorik's!
Rorik was incredible just like in book one. He has fantastic page presence. I loved that we had a way to communicate with the heartbond. It was just overall very good. Tension was tensioning and the pay off was great.
The side characters that we know and love from book one come back, so we get more of them and I really loved seeing them again. Especially her brothers, getting more of them, and the moth Ywena! She is adorable.
Overall the story was easy to follow, the motivations were easy to root for. My only gripe is I wish we had a longer wrap up to the story. We have the "big battle" scene... and that felt really rushed. We didn't spend a lot of time in it or learning the ramifications for it, we are just all of the sudden okay with everything. I think it would have made it more impactful if we spent time with our FMC realizing what just happened and how she has changed. And I wish we had longer in the aftermath of everything wrapping it up. The pacing up to that point in the book was good, but the ending was incredibly quick like they had a set number of pages they wanted the book to be and didn't have enough pages left to spend time in the aftermath.
Other than the pacing at the end I adored this story and I am upset that is it only a duology cause I want more of these characters and world, the magic was so cool and so much fun to visualize. Maybe someday we can see Rorik again. *fingers crossed*
December 5, 2025
2.75⭐️ Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collin’s Publishers for the ARC for this book.
I think this book was a very beautiful ending to the Threadmender Chronicles but I got bored around 20% and lost interest in the story completely. The first book was a lot more exciting but I love the uniqueness of this universe and the magic system within. I would still recommend this series just because I loved the first book so much.
I think this book was a very beautiful ending to the Threadmender Chronicles but I got bored around 20% and lost interest in the story completely. The first book was a lot more exciting but I love the uniqueness of this universe and the magic system within. I would still recommend this series just because I loved the first book so much.
July 7, 2026
I want to start by saying that I’ve been looking forward to this sequel since I read the first book’s arc. House of Blight was such a richly written story with great pros and while you can see that it wasn’t perfect. It’s still was very impressive. All I could hope for was that this book was almost as good… and I was not disappointed. I did listen to the audiobook and the narrators were the same from the first to the second and that really helped keep that consistency.
In the second installment our “heroes” our thrust back into the life or death, chaotic nature of light, and how to rid it completely. Edria is back at her own house, living the quiet life that the Evers wanted for her. But, like most heroes she is bored. She’s still recovering from the battle, but getting stronger each day. That doesn’t stop her from hallucinating and understanding that her threads are numbered.
Rorik, however, it’s just as broody and an ass that we came to know and love in the first book. The difference here is that as the reader I think we can tell that he has been suppressing his emotions and feelings for our girl for a long time.
Everything comes to ahead when Edria is visited by Seville and told that the blight is back. We then follow our main characters as they traverse the dangerous world of Evers through tumultuous relationships, a coupling party that I think the name speaks for itself, and even death himself.
I highly enjoyed this book. One of my favorite parts was the prologue actually. It told the story of the very first ever and how she tricked death and I found that very interesting. Though I do feel a little bad for death. I think that he got the short end of the stick in the story. Our two main characters were as belittle and as emotional as the first book, but watching them wear each other’s walls down was spectacular. There were definitely times I wanted to strangle each one of their necks individually in together, but we got it there at the end. Supporting characters were again amazing. I would love to see branch off stories of some of the other families.
This was more than a love story, though that romance is a part of the plot. This was about a poor woman who took her own life by the horns and lived it exactly the way that she wanted to. A woman who would do anything to protect her family, both the ones she was born with, and the one that she found.
I will admit that while I did enjoy the story I felt like the end was a little rushed. I got about 90% through and thought that there was going to have to be a third book with the amount of story I thought was left, but the author was able to wrap everything up in a nice tidy package. I think the ending was the fitting of the characters and I do appreciate that the author didn’t draw it out just for the sake of writing another book.
Overall, I would say that this is an excellent sequel and ending to Edria and Rorik’s story. Highly recommend.
In the second installment our “heroes” our thrust back into the life or death, chaotic nature of light, and how to rid it completely. Edria is back at her own house, living the quiet life that the Evers wanted for her. But, like most heroes she is bored. She’s still recovering from the battle, but getting stronger each day. That doesn’t stop her from hallucinating and understanding that her threads are numbered.
Rorik, however, it’s just as broody and an ass that we came to know and love in the first book. The difference here is that as the reader I think we can tell that he has been suppressing his emotions and feelings for our girl for a long time.
Everything comes to ahead when Edria is visited by Seville and told that the blight is back. We then follow our main characters as they traverse the dangerous world of Evers through tumultuous relationships, a coupling party that I think the name speaks for itself, and even death himself.
I highly enjoyed this book. One of my favorite parts was the prologue actually. It told the story of the very first ever and how she tricked death and I found that very interesting. Though I do feel a little bad for death. I think that he got the short end of the stick in the story. Our two main characters were as belittle and as emotional as the first book, but watching them wear each other’s walls down was spectacular. There were definitely times I wanted to strangle each one of their necks individually in together, but we got it there at the end. Supporting characters were again amazing. I would love to see branch off stories of some of the other families.
This was more than a love story, though that romance is a part of the plot. This was about a poor woman who took her own life by the horns and lived it exactly the way that she wanted to. A woman who would do anything to protect her family, both the ones she was born with, and the one that she found.
I will admit that while I did enjoy the story I felt like the end was a little rushed. I got about 90% through and thought that there was going to have to be a third book with the amount of story I thought was left, but the author was able to wrap everything up in a nice tidy package. I think the ending was the fitting of the characters and I do appreciate that the author didn’t draw it out just for the sake of writing another book.
Overall, I would say that this is an excellent sequel and ending to Edria and Rorik’s story. Highly recommend.
June 23, 2026
Manor of Decay by Maxym M. Martineau, book two of The Threadmender Chronicles.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
4.5 stars
After really enjoying House of Blight, I went into Manor of Decay with high expectations, and Maxym M. Martineau delivered. This series continues to shine with its unique magic system, glamour-wearing beasts and the fascinating role of Edira as a Threadmender. It has all the dark aesthetics people might associate with gothic fantasy, but honestly this is a rich magical fantasy romance and I mean that as a compliment.
For me, the real star of the show, is Rorik. Is he an insufferable asshole? Without question. Did I spend the entire book absolutely loving him anyway? Also yes. The sarcastic banter between him and Edira is top tier, packed with enough tension and longing to make me want to physically shove them together. Every interaction crackles with desire, stubbornness and barely concealed feelings. By the halfway point, I was repeatedly yelling, “Come on, Rorik! Give it up already!” The man is exhausting in the most entertaining way possible. And the touch-her-and-die energy?
Immaculate.
Beyond the romance, I loved how the world continues to expand. The magic remains one of the most interesting aspects of the series, and the creatures lurking beneath their glamorous disguises add an eerie edge to the story. The emotional stakes steadily build until the final chapters decide to stomp directly on your heart.
And that ending. RUDE. Absolutely rude. It tore me up emotionally while somehow managing to answer just enough questions to keep me invested while also leaving plenty unresolved. The door is wide open for the third book and now I find myself in the unfortunate position of waiting impatiently to see what fresh emotional damage awaits Edira, Rorik, and the rest of us.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for the advance reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Publish date: July 7, 2026
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
4.5 stars
After really enjoying House of Blight, I went into Manor of Decay with high expectations, and Maxym M. Martineau delivered. This series continues to shine with its unique magic system, glamour-wearing beasts and the fascinating role of Edira as a Threadmender. It has all the dark aesthetics people might associate with gothic fantasy, but honestly this is a rich magical fantasy romance and I mean that as a compliment.
For me, the real star of the show, is Rorik. Is he an insufferable asshole? Without question. Did I spend the entire book absolutely loving him anyway? Also yes. The sarcastic banter between him and Edira is top tier, packed with enough tension and longing to make me want to physically shove them together. Every interaction crackles with desire, stubbornness and barely concealed feelings. By the halfway point, I was repeatedly yelling, “Come on, Rorik! Give it up already!” The man is exhausting in the most entertaining way possible. And the touch-her-and-die energy?
Immaculate.
Beyond the romance, I loved how the world continues to expand. The magic remains one of the most interesting aspects of the series, and the creatures lurking beneath their glamorous disguises add an eerie edge to the story. The emotional stakes steadily build until the final chapters decide to stomp directly on your heart.
And that ending. RUDE. Absolutely rude. It tore me up emotionally while somehow managing to answer just enough questions to keep me invested while also leaving plenty unresolved. The door is wide open for the third book and now I find myself in the unfortunate position of waiting impatiently to see what fresh emotional damage awaits Edira, Rorik, and the rest of us.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for the advance reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion.
Publish date: July 7, 2026
July 2, 2026
4⭐️, 2.5🌶️
What a great conclusion to this duology! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.
This one picks up not too long after the ending of the first book and there was not anymore complicated world building, other than some expansion on the blight and how it came to be about. I did enjoy that part because I feel like it filled in the holes from the first book. But overall it was an easy read/listen.
As for the plot I did enjoy the way she went with the story and how we got to meet even more Evers in this one. There were some parts where I did feel like the pacing was slightly off or were just slower, but overall I liked it.
I also loved the tension and the banter between our MC’s but I did want the MMC to be just a little bit more down bad, but that’s my own personal preference. I do think the romance was lacking slightly for me just because of the dynamics between the characters and our FMC falling what seemed to be so much harder. But I did like the tension she built with them throughout the book.
I would be interested to see if she does any spinoffs from this series and I would most likely read them because I enjoy her writing style!
What a great conclusion to this duology! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.
This one picks up not too long after the ending of the first book and there was not anymore complicated world building, other than some expansion on the blight and how it came to be about. I did enjoy that part because I feel like it filled in the holes from the first book. But overall it was an easy read/listen.
As for the plot I did enjoy the way she went with the story and how we got to meet even more Evers in this one. There were some parts where I did feel like the pacing was slightly off or were just slower, but overall I liked it.
I also loved the tension and the banter between our MC’s but I did want the MMC to be just a little bit more down bad, but that’s my own personal preference. I do think the romance was lacking slightly for me just because of the dynamics between the characters and our FMC falling what seemed to be so much harder. But I did like the tension she built with them throughout the book.
I would be interested to see if she does any spinoffs from this series and I would most likely read them because I enjoy her writing style!
July 27, 2026
this is for the Belladonna trilogy lovers! i thoroughly enjoyed this duology and all it had to offer! it was such an entertaining story to follow and i enjoyed all of our characters along the way.
without speaking to spoilers, i wish we had less resistance and time apart for the romance in this book.
without speaking to spoilers, i wish we had less resistance and time apart for the romance in this book.
July 28, 2026
4 ⭐️
Manor of Decay was such a great conclusion to this wonderful duology! Truly my favorite aspects of this series is just how unique the magic system is, the interesting world building/lore, & the FMC Edira.
This book really delivered on expanding the history of the Evers, & how the magic system is established. Especially with seeing the gradual growth of Edira’s abilities in the later half of the book as she stepped into her power & learned more about the Evers. Which speaking of Edira, she is SUCH a great FMC to follow along with. Shes strong, & stubborn but so deeply caring. The entire book I fell more in love with her as a character. & honestly, the character development with Edira, Rorik, & all of the side character was done in a way that felt very realistic & natural. BUT ALSOOO getting to watch the romance between her & Rorik progress had me equally stressed out(insect man I’m looking at you) & swooning. That man is grumpy as all hell but DOWN BADDDDD. Their banter & sass was adorable, but I also loved that they weren’t afraid to call eachother out when needed.
The only reason this book could not get the five stars from me was the pacing. The ending felt a bit rushed to me. I really enjoyed the pacing for the first 80ish% but those last couple chapter were quickkkk.
Overall I definitely recommend this series, especially for lovers of gothic romantasy, & will absolutely be checking out any future work by the author!
Thank you to Harper Voyager, Maxym M. Martineau, & NetGalley for the gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Manor of Decay was such a great conclusion to this wonderful duology! Truly my favorite aspects of this series is just how unique the magic system is, the interesting world building/lore, & the FMC Edira.
This book really delivered on expanding the history of the Evers, & how the magic system is established. Especially with seeing the gradual growth of Edira’s abilities in the later half of the book as she stepped into her power & learned more about the Evers. Which speaking of Edira, she is SUCH a great FMC to follow along with. Shes strong, & stubborn but so deeply caring. The entire book I fell more in love with her as a character. & honestly, the character development with Edira, Rorik, & all of the side character was done in a way that felt very realistic & natural. BUT ALSOOO getting to watch the romance between her & Rorik progress had me equally stressed out(insect man I’m looking at you) & swooning. That man is grumpy as all hell but DOWN BADDDDD. Their banter & sass was adorable, but I also loved that they weren’t afraid to call eachother out when needed.
The only reason this book could not get the five stars from me was the pacing. The ending felt a bit rushed to me. I really enjoyed the pacing for the first 80ish% but those last couple chapter were quickkkk.
Overall I definitely recommend this series, especially for lovers of gothic romantasy, & will absolutely be checking out any future work by the author!
Thank you to Harper Voyager, Maxym M. Martineau, & NetGalley for the gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 20, 2026
I have been looking forward to this book since I read House of Blight and let me tell you think was the perfect ending to a duology!
Edira is still reeling after the disaster that occurred at Fernglove Manor. Heartbroken from Orin and coming to terms that she might not have a lot of life strings left she's trying to make the best at being at home with her brothers. When Seville comes for a surprise visit she realizes that the blight is cured. Edira decides she's taking her life in her own hands and does whatever it takes to extend her life and get rid of the blight forever. To do that she needs Rorick and the magic their heart bond can give her.
Edira and Rorick's push and pull was delicious. A serious slow burn plus the tension 🔥 The amount of yearning between them had me on my toes will they won't they. The ending was absolutely perfect. Def pick up this duology!
Thank you Harper audio for the gifted audiobook.
Edira is still reeling after the disaster that occurred at Fernglove Manor. Heartbroken from Orin and coming to terms that she might not have a lot of life strings left she's trying to make the best at being at home with her brothers. When Seville comes for a surprise visit she realizes that the blight is cured. Edira decides she's taking her life in her own hands and does whatever it takes to extend her life and get rid of the blight forever. To do that she needs Rorick and the magic their heart bond can give her.
Edira and Rorick's push and pull was delicious. A serious slow burn plus the tension 🔥 The amount of yearning between them had me on my toes will they won't they. The ending was absolutely perfect. Def pick up this duology!
Thank you Harper audio for the gifted audiobook.
July 7, 2026
Remember back in the day when Disney gave us all those sequel movies to hits like The Lion King, Aladdin, and The Little Mermaid? Those sequels were lots of fun, don't get me wrong, but felt entirely unnecessary. Manor of Decay is giving me that same feeling--it was a lot of fun to read, but felt mostly like filler with an unsatisfying ending.
This book continues to ooze with gothic, atmospheric writing and is a wonderful mood read. Though not nearly as eerie as the first book (due to events that took place) it still has the same connective tissue and you feel rooted in this same world. I once again commend the author for a wonderfully unique world and magic system. I love Edina's thread-mending magic and it really added to her character. She truly embodies her magical abilities and her desire to help those in need around her. She's a compelling FMC and I always have enjoyed reading about her. I also enjoyed tremendously the lore of the Evers. If you're exhausted from reading yet another fae fantasy, this series is just for you. Rorick is a fantastic MMC and he feels just as fresh and original as his fellow Evers. His earth-based magic pairs so well with Edira's healing and life-giving magic, making them perfect compliments to one another. I think the author also developed his character beautifully in this book and I enjoyed spending more time with him. Finally, a MMC whose personality trait is more than "he's hot and protective". The romance has a great slow burn with a very spicy payoff, which felt earned and real for our main characters.
I do feel like the pacing was a bit fast for me and the plot felt a little clunky. The "return" of the blight for the Ferngloves felt forced, especially after that explosive ending in House of Blight. I think the heist plot line could have been fleshed out a little more to create more suspense and tension. This was one of those books where I only had a few chapters left and started wondering how things would wrap up in such a short page-count. The final confrontation with Death for me was anti-climatic and resolved too easily. The ending feels ambitious, as if there could be potential for more stories within this world, but nothing concrete enough to have me excited for a third book.
Bottom line: if you loved House of Blight (like me!) and are craving more from this world, then I would suggest picking this one up. The excellent slow-burn romance and character development will make up for the lackluster plot. This earns itself a respectable 3.5 ⭐️, I had lots of fun returning to this unique world. 2🌶️ for that spicy payoff!
Immense gratitude and thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Harper Collins for the wonderful opportunity to read and review this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This book continues to ooze with gothic, atmospheric writing and is a wonderful mood read. Though not nearly as eerie as the first book (due to events that took place) it still has the same connective tissue and you feel rooted in this same world. I once again commend the author for a wonderfully unique world and magic system. I love Edina's thread-mending magic and it really added to her character. She truly embodies her magical abilities and her desire to help those in need around her. She's a compelling FMC and I always have enjoyed reading about her. I also enjoyed tremendously the lore of the Evers. If you're exhausted from reading yet another fae fantasy, this series is just for you. Rorick is a fantastic MMC and he feels just as fresh and original as his fellow Evers. His earth-based magic pairs so well with Edira's healing and life-giving magic, making them perfect compliments to one another. I think the author also developed his character beautifully in this book and I enjoyed spending more time with him. Finally, a MMC whose personality trait is more than "he's hot and protective". The romance has a great slow burn with a very spicy payoff, which felt earned and real for our main characters.
I do feel like the pacing was a bit fast for me and the plot felt a little clunky. The "return" of the blight for the Ferngloves felt forced, especially after that explosive ending in House of Blight. I think the heist plot line could have been fleshed out a little more to create more suspense and tension. This was one of those books where I only had a few chapters left and started wondering how things would wrap up in such a short page-count. The final confrontation with Death for me was anti-climatic and resolved too easily. The ending feels ambitious, as if there could be potential for more stories within this world, but nothing concrete enough to have me excited for a third book.
Bottom line: if you loved House of Blight (like me!) and are craving more from this world, then I would suggest picking this one up. The excellent slow-burn romance and character development will make up for the lackluster plot. This earns itself a respectable 3.5 ⭐️, I had lots of fun returning to this unique world. 2🌶️ for that spicy payoff!
Immense gratitude and thanks to NetGalley and the publisher Harper Collins for the wonderful opportunity to read and review this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
April 16, 2026
Manor of Decay by Maxym M. Martineau | ARC Review 🥀🖤
Y'all. Y'ALL House of Blight was my entire personality last year, so Manor of Decay was easily my most anticipated read of 2026. Andddddd Maxym M. Martineau absolutely delivered and then some. I was glued to the pages and physically incapable of being bored. The way we get to dive deep into the dark, twisted backstory of how Blight actually came to be?! I ATE IT UP. It is so fresh and unique and we literally never get plots like this in our genre. 🤯✨
Okay, let’s talk about the absolute chokehold Endira and Rorik have on my life. 🥵 The tension?? The ANGST?! I was screaming into my pillow. It is giving major Feyre and Rhysand pre-chapter 54 ACOMAF energy and IFYKYK. 🦇👀 The banter was top tier, and honestly the dramatic "I hate yous" were over the top but I absolutely lived for it. The LONGING was so intense I needed to take a physical breather. We finally get that unique HEA we were begging for, but selfishly?! I wanted MORE of them just being deeply in love after putting my nervous system through all that stress. 😭 But let me tell you... if you thought the fete in book one was something, the fete in this one? DELICIOUS. Unhinged. I am completely feral for it. 🔥🥂
Getting more of Seville was everything to me and watching the found family trope come in swinging made my heart so happy. 🫶👯♀️
I absolutely will not spoil the ending, but let me tell you—even though I guessed what was going to happen right near the end, I STILL had a literal panic attack reading those last two chapters. My heart rate was completely out of control. 😅📉
Overall, I am obsessed. I need the special edition immediately because my shelves demand it and I will riot if I don't get it. 📚💖 Manor of Decay drops this summer on July 7th, which means you have zero excuses—go read House of Blight right now so you are ready. You do NOT want to miss this!
A massive, screaming thank you to NetGalley, Maxym M. Martineau, and Avon and Harper Voyager for the eARC in exchange for my honest review! 🖤✨
Y'all. Y'ALL House of Blight was my entire personality last year, so Manor of Decay was easily my most anticipated read of 2026. Andddddd Maxym M. Martineau absolutely delivered and then some. I was glued to the pages and physically incapable of being bored. The way we get to dive deep into the dark, twisted backstory of how Blight actually came to be?! I ATE IT UP. It is so fresh and unique and we literally never get plots like this in our genre. 🤯✨
Okay, let’s talk about the absolute chokehold Endira and Rorik have on my life. 🥵 The tension?? The ANGST?! I was screaming into my pillow. It is giving major Feyre and Rhysand pre-chapter 54 ACOMAF energy and IFYKYK. 🦇👀 The banter was top tier, and honestly the dramatic "I hate yous" were over the top but I absolutely lived for it. The LONGING was so intense I needed to take a physical breather. We finally get that unique HEA we were begging for, but selfishly?! I wanted MORE of them just being deeply in love after putting my nervous system through all that stress. 😭 But let me tell you... if you thought the fete in book one was something, the fete in this one? DELICIOUS. Unhinged. I am completely feral for it. 🔥🥂
Getting more of Seville was everything to me and watching the found family trope come in swinging made my heart so happy. 🫶👯♀️
I absolutely will not spoil the ending, but let me tell you—even though I guessed what was going to happen right near the end, I STILL had a literal panic attack reading those last two chapters. My heart rate was completely out of control. 😅📉
Overall, I am obsessed. I need the special edition immediately because my shelves demand it and I will riot if I don't get it. 📚💖 Manor of Decay drops this summer on July 7th, which means you have zero excuses—go read House of Blight right now so you are ready. You do NOT want to miss this!
A massive, screaming thank you to NetGalley, Maxym M. Martineau, and Avon and Harper Voyager for the eARC in exchange for my honest review! 🖤✨
August 3, 2026
i absolutely adored house of blight, so i went into manor of decay with really high expectations, but unfortunately this one just didn’t work for me
the gothic atmosphere was still there and maxym’s writing remains beautifully descriptive, but the story itself felt incredibly slow. it seemed like so much of the book was spent circling the same conversations and disagreements between edira and rorik without the plot actually moving forward. i kept waiting for something to happen, but by the time the real conflict arrived, it was over almost as quickly as it began
i also struggled with the romance. i wanted to root for edira and rorik, but i never really felt the emotional depth between them. so many of their declarations of love felt one-sided, and i was missing the kind of yearning and devotion that makes a romantasy couple unforgettable
my biggest issue, though, was with the motivations. i never fully understood why edira was willing to sacrifice so much for the evers after everything they had put her through. outside of her bond with rorik, i found it difficult to believe in the found family dynamic the story was trying to build, especially considering how selfish many of their actions continued to feel
the ending was probably the biggest disappointment. after two books building towards this conclusion, everything wrapped up far too neatly while leaving some of the biggest questions unanswered. it felt less like a satisfying payoff and more like the story simply decided it was over
there were still moments that reminded me why i loved the first book, particularly the haunting atmosphere and lush writing, but overall this sequel lacked the mystery, tension and emotional impact that made house of blight such a standout read for me
the gothic atmosphere was still there and maxym’s writing remains beautifully descriptive, but the story itself felt incredibly slow. it seemed like so much of the book was spent circling the same conversations and disagreements between edira and rorik without the plot actually moving forward. i kept waiting for something to happen, but by the time the real conflict arrived, it was over almost as quickly as it began
i also struggled with the romance. i wanted to root for edira and rorik, but i never really felt the emotional depth between them. so many of their declarations of love felt one-sided, and i was missing the kind of yearning and devotion that makes a romantasy couple unforgettable
my biggest issue, though, was with the motivations. i never fully understood why edira was willing to sacrifice so much for the evers after everything they had put her through. outside of her bond with rorik, i found it difficult to believe in the found family dynamic the story was trying to build, especially considering how selfish many of their actions continued to feel
the ending was probably the biggest disappointment. after two books building towards this conclusion, everything wrapped up far too neatly while leaving some of the biggest questions unanswered. it felt less like a satisfying payoff and more like the story simply decided it was over
there were still moments that reminded me why i loved the first book, particularly the haunting atmosphere and lush writing, but overall this sequel lacked the mystery, tension and emotional impact that made house of blight such a standout read for me
December 11, 2025
Manor of Decay is the perfect follow-up to House of Blight! I loved how this novel dived further into the Evers’ origin story and connected Death to the curse of the blight.
The magic system is so original and well thought out! My favorite scenes involved Edira learning more about her heightened powers and forcing Rorik into helping her. Their banter is simply everything. I loved how much their relationship evolved in this story, and only wish the ending had allowed more time with them after their big battle.
It does seem like there could be more stories to come in this world, as there were some minor loose threads at the end. I loved how much this story expanded in terms of the other Ever families and would be the first in line to read more!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
The magic system is so original and well thought out! My favorite scenes involved Edira learning more about her heightened powers and forcing Rorik into helping her. Their banter is simply everything. I loved how much their relationship evolved in this story, and only wish the ending had allowed more time with them after their big battle.
It does seem like there could be more stories to come in this world, as there were some minor loose threads at the end. I loved how much this story expanded in terms of the other Ever families and would be the first in line to read more!
Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
July 6, 2026
I love duologies and The Threadmender Chronicles is absolutely fantastic!
Edira was certain she had given all she could to clear the Blight, but that was not at all true. This meant that Edira also had to "deal" with Rorik again, which means we get so much yearning and tension with banter which is something I always love.
The prologue was fantastic and gives us a great look as to how the Blight actually came about 🤝
Here is a bit of what book 1 is about;
House of Blight started by giving us an introduction to Edira who is a threadmender which means she has healing magic but every time she uses it she shortens her own life. When her brother contracts the disease she is forced to show she has this healing magic and the powerful take advantage of that. In book 1 there is a lot of family secrets, political intrigue and some romance (whooo).
Edira was certain she had given all she could to clear the Blight, but that was not at all true. This meant that Edira also had to "deal" with Rorik again, which means we get so much yearning and tension with banter which is something I always love.
The prologue was fantastic and gives us a great look as to how the Blight actually came about 🤝
Here is a bit of what book 1 is about;
House of Blight started by giving us an introduction to Edira who is a threadmender which means she has healing magic but every time she uses it she shortens her own life. When her brother contracts the disease she is forced to show she has this healing magic and the powerful take advantage of that. In book 1 there is a lot of family secrets, political intrigue and some romance (whooo).
December 8, 2025
I absolutely devoured the first book and was really excited for Manor of Decay, but I was a little let down. The pacing was slower compared to House of Blight. It felt like I spent a good chunk of time reading about Rorik and Edira disagreeing about what she should or shouldn't do rather than events that would move the plot along. Their romance felt forced as well, I wasn't invested in it.
When the conflict finally did occur, it was in the last handful of chapters, and was resolved very quickly. This felt disjointed from the first book and I was missing the immersive gothic vibes I fell in love with in book one.
Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager for the eARC.
When the conflict finally did occur, it was in the last handful of chapters, and was resolved very quickly. This felt disjointed from the first book and I was missing the immersive gothic vibes I fell in love with in book one.
Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager for the eARC.
June 27, 2026
I loved House of Blight, the different types of magic, the dark fairy-tale type world and of course insect daddy. I’ve been dying for more in this world and Manor of Decay was the perfect sequel and conclusion to the Threadmender Chronicles.
Manor of Decay begins with an incredible prologue, a gorgeously woven dark fairy-tale all on its own, before we are swept back into the lives of Edira and the Ferngloves. Edira must overcome so much, even after the events of HoB, she is still fighting for control over what remains of her life. The constant struggle between trying to protect those she cares for while trying to find a way to preserve her dwindling life threads is intense.
The relationship between Edira and the Ferngloves blooms into something more familial, even with Rorik being a smug ass the whole time. I enjoyed watching Edira and Rorik explore their heartbond and learn to open themselves up to one other bit by bit.
Overall this was a stunning sequel and I found it so easy to be drawn back into this world and fall in love with these characters all over again. The stakes were high and this was a wonderfully unique romantasy with a heart-pounding ending.
Manor of Decay begins with an incredible prologue, a gorgeously woven dark fairy-tale all on its own, before we are swept back into the lives of Edira and the Ferngloves. Edira must overcome so much, even after the events of HoB, she is still fighting for control over what remains of her life. The constant struggle between trying to protect those she cares for while trying to find a way to preserve her dwindling life threads is intense.
The relationship between Edira and the Ferngloves blooms into something more familial, even with Rorik being a smug ass the whole time. I enjoyed watching Edira and Rorik explore their heartbond and learn to open themselves up to one other bit by bit.
Overall this was a stunning sequel and I found it so easy to be drawn back into this world and fall in love with these characters all over again. The stakes were high and this was a wonderfully unique romantasy with a heart-pounding ending.
July 7, 2026
ALC provided by NetGalley
3.75 ⭐️ rounded up!
I really enjoyed this duology. The creepy fae and blight were such a fun story point. I loved the way it ended and I love love loveeee Rorik. With this book specifically though I felt like the plot just took a bunch of crazy turns to try and keep me intrigued when it actually had the exact opposite.
I’d definitely still recommend it especially for fans of the cruel prince series.
3.75 ⭐️ rounded up!
I really enjoyed this duology. The creepy fae and blight were such a fun story point. I loved the way it ended and I love love loveeee Rorik. With this book specifically though I felt like the plot just took a bunch of crazy turns to try and keep me intrigued when it actually had the exact opposite.
I’d definitely still recommend it especially for fans of the cruel prince series.
June 25, 2026
What an incredible duology. I can't get over how much I loved this. I thought Edira going back to save the Ferngloves would be disastrous but the way they became her family is so emotional. The difference from book one to book two is incredible. I loved the quest, the growth, the romance!!! I'm obsessed
July 25, 2026
Well if that prologue doesn't hook you back into this world, I dont know what will! Wow!
I loved that we got the backstory to the blight and closure to the ending of Book 1 in this part of the story.
I loved that we got the backstory to the blight and closure to the ending of Book 1 in this part of the story.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
4.5/5! Really loved this duology, highly recommend it to anyone who loves an FMC that faces the odds of fate ❤️
July 10, 2026
4.5/5 Is this really the end? It feels open ended
July 16, 2026
This was not at all how I saw the story progressing but it was wonderful! Easily could have read this in a couple of days but really didn’t want the book to be over. I was pleasantly surprised by the ending and kind of shocked that after everything, I didn’t even consider that ending a possibility. This series has been my favorite read so far this year!
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