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The Merciless Realms #2
Merciless: A Novel
Not yet published
Expected 2 Feb 27In Cortney L. Winn’s highly anticipated sequel to Vesselless, the depths of betrayal know no bounds, and the cost of salvation proves steeper than death itself.
After sacrificing her soul to save Dagen’s, another stinging betrayal from someone she trusted lands Nizzara at the feet of her father’s mortal enemy, Queen Nexia. Held hostage in a land where Dagen will never think to look, drained of all her power, and with no possibility of escaping on her own, Nizzara only has one option of survival left to she must make a magical bargain with the person who betrayed her to Nexia. Forced to obey this person’s every command, Nizzara’s mind, body, and freedom are at the mercy of a traitor, whose motives and loyalties are unclear. While the traitor labors to free her from the evil queen, Nizzara makes discoveries about Dagen that leave her hesitant to return to Zarr.
Back in Zarr, Lo is drowning in guilt. Weeks have passed since Nizzara’s sacrifice, and while Lo hunts for ancient vessel rings to shield her brother from rising threats, a stranger’s shadow falls over Dagen’s heart, turning his affection for Nizzara into sudden, inexplicable ice. Just as Lo begins to unravel this chilling mystery, the ghosts of her past begin to materialize at the castle gates. A powerful potion-maker has come to collect a life debt Lo has owed for years—and the price is Dagen’s hand in marriage to another. Lo faces an impossible honor her debt and shatter her brother’s heart, or refuse and damn herself to ruin.
After sacrificing her soul to save Dagen’s, another stinging betrayal from someone she trusted lands Nizzara at the feet of her father’s mortal enemy, Queen Nexia. Held hostage in a land where Dagen will never think to look, drained of all her power, and with no possibility of escaping on her own, Nizzara only has one option of survival left to she must make a magical bargain with the person who betrayed her to Nexia. Forced to obey this person’s every command, Nizzara’s mind, body, and freedom are at the mercy of a traitor, whose motives and loyalties are unclear. While the traitor labors to free her from the evil queen, Nizzara makes discoveries about Dagen that leave her hesitant to return to Zarr.
Back in Zarr, Lo is drowning in guilt. Weeks have passed since Nizzara’s sacrifice, and while Lo hunts for ancient vessel rings to shield her brother from rising threats, a stranger’s shadow falls over Dagen’s heart, turning his affection for Nizzara into sudden, inexplicable ice. Just as Lo begins to unravel this chilling mystery, the ghosts of her past begin to materialize at the castle gates. A powerful potion-maker has come to collect a life debt Lo has owed for years—and the price is Dagen’s hand in marriage to another. Lo faces an impossible honor her debt and shatter her brother’s heart, or refuse and damn herself to ruin.
Kindle Edition
Expected publication February 2, 2027
About the author
Cortney L. Winn
2 books775 followersHi I'm Cortney!
I'm a mom to two wild boys, wife to my best friend, and writer of my favorite genres: romance and fantasy.
Most days you'll find me in jeans and a hoodie (even if it's warm outside) with a Diet Coke nearby.
Twilight sparked my journey into books and writing, and I'll read anything except horror. But, not to exclude Stephen King, I read (and loved) his book, On Writing.
My work has been influenced by Rebecca Yarros, Brigid Kemmerer, Brandon Sanderson, Carissa Broadbent, Victoria Aveyard, Sarah J. Maas, and so many others. I write early in the mornings, starting my day at 4:30 and end it with reading, which consists of a lot of textbooks right now as I near the completion of my bachelor's degree in marketing.
My two favorite quotes are:
"You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems." -James Clear
"A ship is safe in harbor, but that's not what ships are built for."
-William G. T. Shedd
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 343 reviews
Want to Read
July 6, 2026Vesselless was such a great book! From one betrayal to the next, would Nizzara sacrifice her soul to save Dagens life?
This series has very interesting shadow magic & will be features on Allurial in February when it comes out.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager and the author Cortney L. Winn for an early copy!
Publication date: February 2, 2027
This series has very interesting shadow magic & will be features on Allurial in February when it comes out.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager and the author Cortney L. Winn for an early copy!
Publication date: February 2, 2027
July 13, 2026
Merciless took everything I thought this sequel was going to be, threw it directly out the window, and then dragged me down an entirely different and somehow even better path.
It took me a little while to get my brain on the new track, but once I did? What an absolutely incredible track it was. The story picks up right where we left off, which was exactly what I needed because I had to know what happened to Nizzara immediately.
And Nizzara… that girl goes THROUGH IT.
Merciless is the perfect title because the pain Nizzara is forced to endure is truly merciless and so is the emotional damage Cortney decided to inflict on me. I have never devoured something that hurt me this badly so quickly.
Thankfully, Lo and Coco were there to provide some desperately needed comic relief between the moments of suffering. I also loved learning more about the Jaxelli and exploring the different lands. The expanded world-building adds so much depth and makes this universe feel even richer and more immersive.
Merciless is heartbreak you willingly devour. It is brutal, unexpected, and completely impossible to put down.
It took me a little while to get my brain on the new track, but once I did? What an absolutely incredible track it was. The story picks up right where we left off, which was exactly what I needed because I had to know what happened to Nizzara immediately.
And Nizzara… that girl goes THROUGH IT.
Merciless is the perfect title because the pain Nizzara is forced to endure is truly merciless and so is the emotional damage Cortney decided to inflict on me. I have never devoured something that hurt me this badly so quickly.
Thankfully, Lo and Coco were there to provide some desperately needed comic relief between the moments of suffering. I also loved learning more about the Jaxelli and exploring the different lands. The expanded world-building adds so much depth and makes this universe feel even richer and more immersive.
Merciless is heartbreak you willingly devour. It is brutal, unexpected, and completely impossible to put down.
July 14, 2026
Genre: Dark Romantasy
⭐️ 5/5
🌶 2/5
Cliffhanger: Yes
Noteworthy: Book 2 of an incomplete trilogy. Multi first-person POV (mostly dual). There are a lot of potential triggers in this book so sensitive readers should check the content warnings. Expected publication date is 2/2/2027.
I just closed this ARC and let me tell you, I'm weary down to my bones. I downloaded this book a week ago then got clues right away about where the story arc was headed. It initially did not sit well with me. So I closed it and came back to it after I had time to make peace with the story being way different than I expected. I'm so glad I did. Did this book break my heart? So many freaking times! I hurt for so many characters.The amount of physical and emotional torture in this book is near pitch black territory.
There will likely be two camps for this book. Those who felt like I did at first but stay upset about it. And those who make peace with it and give it a fair chance. I promise you won't regret it when you do. Props to the author for writing the kind of love and characters we want to fight for. In the end this book feels like a testament to deep unrequited love, the sacrifices we make for it, and the hope that on the other side of the pain fate has our backs even when we feel the most alone.
P.S. Super sad I have to wait even longer for book 3. The curse of being an ARC reader!
Thank you to Netgalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, and Cortney Winn for the gifted eARC.
⭐️ 5/5
🌶 2/5
Cliffhanger: Yes
Noteworthy: Book 2 of an incomplete trilogy. Multi first-person POV (mostly dual). There are a lot of potential triggers in this book so sensitive readers should check the content warnings. Expected publication date is 2/2/2027.
I just closed this ARC and let me tell you, I'm weary down to my bones. I downloaded this book a week ago then got clues right away about where the story arc was headed. It initially did not sit well with me. So I closed it and came back to it after I had time to make peace with the story being way different than I expected. I'm so glad I did. Did this book break my heart? So many freaking times! I hurt for so many characters.The amount of physical and emotional torture in this book is near pitch black territory.
There will likely be two camps for this book. Those who felt like I did at first but stay upset about it. And those who make peace with it and give it a fair chance. I promise you won't regret it when you do. Props to the author for writing the kind of love and characters we want to fight for. In the end this book feels like a testament to deep unrequited love, the sacrifices we make for it, and the hope that on the other side of the pain fate has our backs even when we feel the most alone.
P.S. Super sad I have to wait even longer for book 3. The curse of being an ARC reader!
Thank you to Netgalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, and Cortney Winn for the gifted eARC.
July 16, 2026
ARC Review
You guys aren’t ready for this one, lmao. Six stars.
What to say about this book? Honestly, it was much darker than what I normally go for (think the darker chapters of Kingdom of Ash) and it went in a direction I'd never expected in my wildest dreams. And THANK GOODNESS I picked it up and listened to the bookish friends yelling at me to read it! This book is an absolute knockout and I will be shocked if it's not topping the charts when it releases.
The romance??? The yearning??? The characters??? Tortured hero girlies: THIS ONE IS FOR YOU. I have nothing coherent to say about this, honestly. Just read it.
A note: Please go into this book blind. Don't read a single spoiler. Cortney, mastermind that she is, will take you on the ride of your life. I finished this book last week and haven't stopped thinking about it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager and Cortney L Winn for the ARC!
You guys aren’t ready for this one, lmao. Six stars.
What to say about this book? Honestly, it was much darker than what I normally go for (think the darker chapters of Kingdom of Ash) and it went in a direction I'd never expected in my wildest dreams. And THANK GOODNESS I picked it up and listened to the bookish friends yelling at me to read it! This book is an absolute knockout and I will be shocked if it's not topping the charts when it releases.
The romance??? The yearning??? The characters??? Tortured hero girlies: THIS ONE IS FOR YOU. I have nothing coherent to say about this, honestly. Just read it.
A note: Please go into this book blind. Don't read a single spoiler. Cortney, mastermind that she is, will take you on the ride of your life. I finished this book last week and haven't stopped thinking about it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager and Cortney L Winn for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Author
4.25⭐️
Wow. This got much darker and much more emotional. It went a direction I DID NOT see coming at all, but also I kind of really liked that?? Once I realized where this was going I was excited but also a little weary. I don’t want to give spoilers, but I’ll say I’m very suspicious of everything that happened. I feel like we are missing something and I have so many questions now. The way book 1 went, I’m having a hard to accepting everything that happened in book 2. I really need book 3 to get the full picture here!! Regardless, this book gets dark and deep. Nizarra has to grapple with this new version of herself and I liked how we got to see her character grow in this book! I enjoyed getting to know different characters in the book and new POVs. I wouldn’t be surprised if people have conflicting feelings about this book like I do. It’s not necessarily in a bad way either! Merciless will evoke so many emotions out of you, make you feel for these characters, and leave you questioning a lot… I’m going to need to book 3 because that ending was diabolical.
Wow. This got much darker and much more emotional. It went a direction I DID NOT see coming at all, but also I kind of really liked that?? Once I realized where this was going I was excited but also a little weary. I don’t want to give spoilers, but I’ll say I’m very suspicious of everything that happened. I feel like we are missing something and I have so many questions now. The way book 1 went, I’m having a hard to accepting everything that happened in book 2. I really need book 3 to get the full picture here!! Regardless, this book gets dark and deep. Nizarra has to grapple with this new version of herself and I liked how we got to see her character grow in this book! I enjoyed getting to know different characters in the book and new POVs. I wouldn’t be surprised if people have conflicting feelings about this book like I do. It’s not necessarily in a bad way either! Merciless will evoke so many emotions out of you, make you feel for these characters, and leave you questioning a lot… I’m going to need to book 3 because that ending was diabolical.
August 12, 2026
I really enjoyed Vesselless and have been so looking forward to the next instalment! Vesselless deserves all the love and hype. The Merciless Realms series has ambitious storylines with rich world-building, unique magic systems and great characters. In short - it has it all!
The development between book one and two here was wild - if you’ve just finished book one, you will NOT see book two coming! I really enjoyed both but in different ways. Merciless feels much darker, it springboards off Vesselless but takes what feels like an entirely different direction. It’s bold and unapologetic, and I love that.
Halfway through I wasn’t sure how I felt about Nizzara and Dagen’s trajectory, but I have fully made my peace with how their relationship arc unfolds and, without giving anything away, I’m now fully invested in the direction we’re heading as it leads into book three.
The first half is slower than the second which suddenly kicks into gear and steamrolls through every assumption carried over from book one. The romance is darker and very slow burn, which ties perfectly into the plot.
I genuinely panicked around 80% when I thought this was a duology because I couldn’t see how everything would come together but I’m excited the series continues from here and there’s more to come. And if you thought book one ended on a cliffhanger, boy does book two manage to deliver something even more nail-biting. There’s lots of questions still left open and unanswered and I genuinely feel like no assumptions can be taken for granted! Safe to say, I cannot wait for book three.
Huge thank you to HarperVoyager and NetGalley for the ARC.
The development between book one and two here was wild - if you’ve just finished book one, you will NOT see book two coming! I really enjoyed both but in different ways. Merciless feels much darker, it springboards off Vesselless but takes what feels like an entirely different direction. It’s bold and unapologetic, and I love that.
Halfway through I wasn’t sure how I felt about Nizzara and Dagen’s trajectory, but I have fully made my peace with how their relationship arc unfolds and, without giving anything away, I’m now fully invested in the direction we’re heading as it leads into book three.
The first half is slower than the second which suddenly kicks into gear and steamrolls through every assumption carried over from book one. The romance is darker and very slow burn, which ties perfectly into the plot.
I genuinely panicked around 80% when I thought this was a duology because I couldn’t see how everything would come together but I’m excited the series continues from here and there’s more to come. And if you thought book one ended on a cliffhanger, boy does book two manage to deliver something even more nail-biting. There’s lots of questions still left open and unanswered and I genuinely feel like no assumptions can be taken for granted! Safe to say, I cannot wait for book three.
Huge thank you to HarperVoyager and NetGalley for the ARC.
Want to Read
July 22, 2026 Huge thanks to Avon, Harper Voyager, Netgalley and the author Cortney L. Winn for the ARC!
𝙥𝙧𝙚-𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 ໒꒰ྀི ᴗ͈ . ᴗ͈ ꒱ྀིა
So excited to start this series, will return with my updates + review once I'm done with book one <3
Heard so many great things about both books & I'm so here for it!!
Publication date: 2 Feb 2027
𝙥𝙧𝙚-𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙 ໒꒰ྀི ᴗ͈ . ᴗ͈ ꒱ྀིა
So excited to start this series, will return with my updates + review once I'm done with book one <3
Heard so many great things about both books & I'm so here for it!!
Publication date: 2 Feb 2027
July 16, 2026
“𝙄 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙘𝙧𝙖𝙬𝙡. 𝙄 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙠𝙞𝙡𝙡. 𝙄 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙪𝙧𝙣. 𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪.”
Have you ever read a book that just satisfied every single part of your soul? I’m talking from the humor, the Easter eggs, the plot, to the character personalities, to the dark depths of depravity and a killer slow burn tension that will destroy you… that’s this book for me.
I don’t even know how to write a review for this because I truly feel like it’s better to just go in blind. Vesselless (book 1) was the spiral that got me hooked but Merciless (book 2) is the story that has my heart. I laughed, I sweated, I literally kicked my feet and giggled, I swore (a lot), sent so many GIFs, and I cried.
“𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙄’𝙢 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙄 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪.”
I love how unique this magic system is but also how expansive the world building is without feeling overwhelming. It’s gives you a little bit of everything and teases at so much more. I think that’s why I was so invested from the start of book one because I truly didn’t know what to expect and I loved the vibes.
“𝙄𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙧𝙪𝙣, 𝙄’𝙡𝙡 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪.”
“𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙄’𝙡𝙡 𝙝𝙞𝙙𝙚.”
“𝘼𝙨 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙨 𝙢𝙮 𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙡 𝙚𝙭𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙨, 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙤 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨.”
I want to say so much about our characters too. Just know that I love them. So much. For reasons. That shall remain unknown. Just trust me.
Thank you so much @harpervoyagerus and @cortneylwinn for the advanced copy! I can’t wait to hold the physical book in my hands and cry all over again. 🥹
“𝘼𝙣𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜. 𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜.”
Merciless releases February 2, 2027. Vesselless is available on Kindle Unlimited now!
Have you ever read a book that just satisfied every single part of your soul? I’m talking from the humor, the Easter eggs, the plot, to the character personalities, to the dark depths of depravity and a killer slow burn tension that will destroy you… that’s this book for me.
I don’t even know how to write a review for this because I truly feel like it’s better to just go in blind. Vesselless (book 1) was the spiral that got me hooked but Merciless (book 2) is the story that has my heart. I laughed, I sweated, I literally kicked my feet and giggled, I swore (a lot), sent so many GIFs, and I cried.
“𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙄’𝙢 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪. 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣 𝙄 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪.”
I love how unique this magic system is but also how expansive the world building is without feeling overwhelming. It’s gives you a little bit of everything and teases at so much more. I think that’s why I was so invested from the start of book one because I truly didn’t know what to expect and I loved the vibes.
“𝙄𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙧𝙪𝙣, 𝙄’𝙡𝙡 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪.”
“𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙄’𝙡𝙡 𝙝𝙞𝙙𝙚.”
“𝘼𝙨 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙨 𝙢𝙮 𝙨𝙤𝙪𝙡 𝙚𝙭𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙨, 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙝𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙤 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨.”
I want to say so much about our characters too. Just know that I love them. So much. For reasons. That shall remain unknown. Just trust me.
Thank you so much @harpervoyagerus and @cortneylwinn for the advanced copy! I can’t wait to hold the physical book in my hands and cry all over again. 🥹
“𝘼𝙣𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜. 𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜.”
Merciless releases February 2, 2027. Vesselless is available on Kindle Unlimited now!
July 17, 2026
Well friends, this was quite a ride! I am leaving this (long!) review with some heavy spoilers (appropriately marked), but just be aware. This book took me on a roller coaster - I started out disappointed that there was an apparent chance in MMC, but by the end this disappointment was largely forgiven. Book 2 has everything you may want from a romantasy - angst, love, betrayal, all set against a very original premise, which is the strength of this series. It is very unlike all of the romantasy flavors of the moment.
Now on to the plot!
….and ***spoilers*** below…..
If I had no prior connection to the MCs from book one, this would have easily been even a six star read. I loved everything about the story – the world-building, which was just as exquisite as in book 1, the character development angle for the FMC, Nizzara, and seeing her gaining strength and acceptance of every piece of her soul as her own. I also loved the soulmate concept, and Sorren made for a fantastic tortured MMC. I love dark romance, and this was just dark enough with a wonderful slow burn. And still, I have a “but yet“….
But yet… Cortney Winn made a conscious choice to change her male lead. She managed to weave a very original angle and the new lead filled the role well, the author infused the right amount of mystery and angst to keep the reader engaged. But what about the MMC from book 1, Dagen? We, the readers, got attached to him during the whole experience of book 1 and waited now two years for his story with Nizzara. Unlike in many other novels with a similar decision, there was nothing menacing, dark or not good that was portrayed in Dagen’s character, which would have made the switch more plausible. He was a wonderful MMC and remained a kind and noble king in this one. And yet he was portrayed a side character, who is basically forced into “forgetting” Nizzara (thus making Sorren’s path to her heart easier).
The choice to make Sorren the new lead is also interesting. I loved the first book and, yet, I confess - when I realized Sorren is playing a major role in this book, I had to go back and remind myself of who he even was (to be fair, the author is certainly vocal about recommending a re-read of book 1 prior to starting book 2). I still thought his interaction with Nizzara in Vesselless was minimal, and the timeline described in Merciless did not quite make sense to me. As Mazzar’s first general, Sorren is shown to be frequently (and quite aggressively) training Nizzara in book 1. But when we finally see the memory of him realizing Nizzara was his soulmate, it was in the final battle of the tournament in book 1 (read: very close to beginning of book 2 timeline). So he suddenly makes a switch from not caring about her to a tortured hero, who will burn the world down for his soulmate?
Then let’s talk about the main villain, Nexia. Her evil deeds were so numerous, and violence so gratuitous (and ultimately, in many cases, purposeless to the plot of the book), that it got somewhat tiresome. Really evil villains can be awesome, but there wasn’t really a fear factor emanating from her, just a certainty that she will order some revolting (but not significant for the plot) punishment.
Ultimately the knocked off star is because of this: I think I would have enjoyed the book just as much, if there wasn’t a male lead switch, and Dagen was trying to rescue and bring Nizzara back, while Nizzara would be trying to help him reclaim his old life – he’s still a death walker after all, even at the end of this book. Everyone seemed to have forgotten about that predicament.
Lo’s chapters and personality were a wonderful addition. She and Nizzara, working together as a team to save Dagen and the realm, would have been an explosive combination. As it is, we still got a very interesting book with a new angle. I am now invested in Sorren too (though still low-key mourning loss of Dagen as a lead), and am waiting for book 3 for all the revelations and resolutions!
Thanks to NetGalley and Avon books for the ARC that brought me back to the Merciless realm!
Now on to the plot!
….and ***spoilers*** below…..
If I had no prior connection to the MCs from book one, this would have easily been even a six star read. I loved everything about the story – the world-building, which was just as exquisite as in book 1, the character development angle for the FMC, Nizzara, and seeing her gaining strength and acceptance of every piece of her soul as her own. I also loved the soulmate concept, and Sorren made for a fantastic tortured MMC. I love dark romance, and this was just dark enough with a wonderful slow burn. And still, I have a “but yet“….
But yet… Cortney Winn made a conscious choice to change her male lead. She managed to weave a very original angle and the new lead filled the role well, the author infused the right amount of mystery and angst to keep the reader engaged. But what about the MMC from book 1, Dagen? We, the readers, got attached to him during the whole experience of book 1 and waited now two years for his story with Nizzara. Unlike in many other novels with a similar decision, there was nothing menacing, dark or not good that was portrayed in Dagen’s character, which would have made the switch more plausible. He was a wonderful MMC and remained a kind and noble king in this one. And yet he was portrayed a side character, who is basically forced into “forgetting” Nizzara (thus making Sorren’s path to her heart easier).
The choice to make Sorren the new lead is also interesting. I loved the first book and, yet, I confess - when I realized Sorren is playing a major role in this book, I had to go back and remind myself of who he even was (to be fair, the author is certainly vocal about recommending a re-read of book 1 prior to starting book 2). I still thought his interaction with Nizzara in Vesselless was minimal, and the timeline described in Merciless did not quite make sense to me. As Mazzar’s first general, Sorren is shown to be frequently (and quite aggressively) training Nizzara in book 1. But when we finally see the memory of him realizing Nizzara was his soulmate, it was in the final battle of the tournament in book 1 (read: very close to beginning of book 2 timeline). So he suddenly makes a switch from not caring about her to a tortured hero, who will burn the world down for his soulmate?
Then let’s talk about the main villain, Nexia. Her evil deeds were so numerous, and violence so gratuitous (and ultimately, in many cases, purposeless to the plot of the book), that it got somewhat tiresome. Really evil villains can be awesome, but there wasn’t really a fear factor emanating from her, just a certainty that she will order some revolting (but not significant for the plot) punishment.
Ultimately the knocked off star is because of this: I think I would have enjoyed the book just as much, if there wasn’t a male lead switch, and Dagen was trying to rescue and bring Nizzara back, while Nizzara would be trying to help him reclaim his old life – he’s still a death walker after all, even at the end of this book. Everyone seemed to have forgotten about that predicament.
Lo’s chapters and personality were a wonderful addition. She and Nizzara, working together as a team to save Dagen and the realm, would have been an explosive combination. As it is, we still got a very interesting book with a new angle. I am now invested in Sorren too (though still low-key mourning loss of Dagen as a lead), and am waiting for book 3 for all the revelations and resolutions!
Thanks to NetGalley and Avon books for the ARC that brought me back to the Merciless realm!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Vesselless walked so Merciless could ruuuuun. What an absolutely stunning sequel!!! So dark, mysterious, and positively delicious.
It’s hard to put into words how captivating and unique this story truly was. I wasn’t quite sure how this book would evolve after the ending of Vesselless but man oh man, I. Was. Invested. It's one of those books you can't stop thinking about when you have to go about daily life. It's always in the back of your mind.
The characters? The plot? The tension?! The banter?!! The YEARNING?? Every aspect was phenomenal & this book might just have one of my new all time fav mmcs. Ever.
"𝘼𝙨𝙠 𝙢𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙙𝙤 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙝𝙚𝙧."
“𝘼𝙣𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜.”
"𝘼𝙨𝙠 𝙢𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄'𝙙 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚."
“𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜.”
And can we talk about that ending?!? Cortney, who hurt you?? Because that ending really hurt my feelings. Make sure you’ve got an emotional support group to yap with {or cry with}. I'll just be not so patiently waiting for book 3!!!
{what to expect}
🥀 she’s captured x tortured
🥀 he calls her “princess”
🥀 new pov x new setting
🥀 slow torturous burn
🥀 unique magic system
🥀 incredible side characters
Thank you so much Harper Voyager & NetGalley for this ARC!
It’s hard to put into words how captivating and unique this story truly was. I wasn’t quite sure how this book would evolve after the ending of Vesselless but man oh man, I. Was. Invested. It's one of those books you can't stop thinking about when you have to go about daily life. It's always in the back of your mind.
The characters? The plot? The tension?! The banter?!! The YEARNING?? Every aspect was phenomenal & this book might just have one of my new all time fav mmcs. Ever.
"𝘼𝙨𝙠 𝙢𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙙𝙤 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙝𝙚𝙧."
“𝘼𝙣𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜.”
"𝘼𝙨𝙠 𝙢𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄'𝙙 𝙜𝙞𝙫𝙚."
“𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜.”
And can we talk about that ending?!? Cortney, who hurt you?? Because that ending really hurt my feelings. Make sure you’ve got an emotional support group to yap with {or cry with}. I'll just be not so patiently waiting for book 3!!!
{what to expect}
🥀 she’s captured x tortured
🥀 he calls her “princess”
🥀 new pov x new setting
🥀 slow torturous burn
🥀 unique magic system
🥀 incredible side characters
Thank you so much Harper Voyager & NetGalley for this ARC!
August 9, 2026
“As long as my soul exists, it will always know how to find yours.”
Cortney way to rip my heart out with this book 😭🤯😭
5 Stars ✨
This sequel picks up right after Vesselless. It is multi- POV with mainly Nizzara and Lo. It is definitely more darker than Vesselless, with lots of physical and emotional trauma, so read the triggers. I thought I had an idea where this trilogy was going, but Cortney ripped up my theories and went a completely different way. I suggest going into this book completely blind and don’t read any of the spoilers. This book will take you on an emotional roller coaster. The yearnings, the romance, the plot! I just finished this book and I know I’m going to be thinking about it for a long time. It does end in a cliffhanger, so now I’m going to be impatiently waiting for book 3.
“Do you want me to crawl, Princess?” A devilish glint shines in his eyes. “I will.”
“You are the crown I serve, the kingdom I protect and the throne I kneel before.”
Thank you to Netgalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, and Cortney Winn for ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Cortney way to rip my heart out with this book 😭🤯😭
5 Stars ✨
This sequel picks up right after Vesselless. It is multi- POV with mainly Nizzara and Lo. It is definitely more darker than Vesselless, with lots of physical and emotional trauma, so read the triggers. I thought I had an idea where this trilogy was going, but Cortney ripped up my theories and went a completely different way. I suggest going into this book completely blind and don’t read any of the spoilers. This book will take you on an emotional roller coaster. The yearnings, the romance, the plot! I just finished this book and I know I’m going to be thinking about it for a long time. It does end in a cliffhanger, so now I’m going to be impatiently waiting for book 3.
“Do you want me to crawl, Princess?” A devilish glint shines in his eyes. “I will.”
“You are the crown I serve, the kingdom I protect and the throne I kneel before.”
Thank you to Netgalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, and Cortney Winn for ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 7, 2026
Merciless went in a completely different direction than I was expecting, but it blew me away nevertheless. It's important just to trust the process! Cortney L. Winn will take you on an emotional journey.
Without spoiling anything, I will say one of my favorite parts of Merciless is the addition of Sorren. I loved his character, and he completely stole my heart!
I can't wait for everyone to experience this journey for themselves! It's a wild ride, but it'll totally be worth the wait!
Without spoiling anything, I will say one of my favorite parts of Merciless is the addition of Sorren. I loved his character, and he completely stole my heart!
I can't wait for everyone to experience this journey for themselves! It's a wild ride, but it'll totally be worth the wait!
July 11, 2026
I'm so upset about this. It's becoming a trend in a minute seat for the love interest in book one to not be the endgame love interest. I'm OK with that in general except when the love interest from book one was a point of view character and does nothing wrong and the endgame of interest was barely a character in the first book. I loved Vesseless it has such a unique magic system and was something different than all the other books I had been reading at the time. That being said my favorite part of that book was the male main character. In the sequel we don't even get that characters point of you he's basically not even a main character anymore. That is so frustrating because it's not like he did anything wrong. For example Tamlin in the ACOTAR series objectively did something wrong and he did not deserve Feyre. Dae, the original MMC, does absolutely nothing wrong he's just kind of forgotten about. Which in validates so much of the plot and the ending of the first book of this series. It's not the new love, interest sucks. It just did not play out in a way that I felt was true to It's not the new love, interest sucks. It just did not play out in a way that I felt was true to the characters we got to know in the first book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 31, 2026
3.5 stars but it hurts to rate it that low.
I was so excited to receive an ARC of this book. Vesselless was a 5 star read for me, and I couldn't wait to continue Nizarra and Dagen's story.
If this had been book 1 in a series, I would have absolutely rated it 5 stars. I loved Sorren and the build up of their relationship. I felt like both Nizarra and Sorren had beautifully complex layers to their characters, and their dynamic was equal parts compelling and heartwrenching.The soulmate thing was a bit too in your face, and I found myself constantly annoyed with Nizarra for not seeing it. The continuous descriptive torture and scenes in the dungeon also dragged the story down at times. But the story itself was so good that I could look over that.
HOWEVER...
I can't get over the abrupt change up on Dagen. It feels like such a betrayal after book 1. Even if they weren't going to be endgame, I'd still expect him to be more than an afterthought in this book. We got more scenes of Lo than we did Dagen. It felt like a slap in the face. Readers had no inclination that the book would turn in this direction, and it feels like a disservice to both Dagen and Nizarra's characters to leave their relationship to such a weak and lackluster farewell. What will happen to Dagen and his kingdom? Will he be given the closure he deserves?
All in all, this book felt incredibly disconnected from book 1, and even though I genuinely liked Sorren, the careless way in which Dagen's character was handled left me feeling bitter toward Nizarra's relationship with Sorren. It was cheapened by how easily Dagen was swept out of the way.
I was so excited to receive an ARC of this book. Vesselless was a 5 star read for me, and I couldn't wait to continue Nizarra and Dagen's story.
If this had been book 1 in a series, I would have absolutely rated it 5 stars. I loved Sorren and the build up of their relationship. I felt like both Nizarra and Sorren had beautifully complex layers to their characters, and their dynamic was equal parts compelling and heartwrenching.The soulmate thing was a bit too in your face, and I found myself constantly annoyed with Nizarra for not seeing it. The continuous descriptive torture and scenes in the dungeon also dragged the story down at times. But the story itself was so good that I could look over that.
HOWEVER...
I can't get over the abrupt change up on Dagen. It feels like such a betrayal after book 1. Even if they weren't going to be endgame, I'd still expect him to be more than an afterthought in this book. We got more scenes of Lo than we did Dagen. It felt like a slap in the face. Readers had no inclination that the book would turn in this direction, and it feels like a disservice to both Dagen and Nizarra's characters to leave their relationship to such a weak and lackluster farewell. What will happen to Dagen and his kingdom? Will he be given the closure he deserves?
All in all, this book felt incredibly disconnected from book 1, and even though I genuinely liked Sorren, the careless way in which Dagen's character was handled left me feeling bitter toward Nizarra's relationship with Sorren. It was cheapened by how easily Dagen was swept out of the way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 2, 2026
I forgot I was even reading. All of the stars.
Cortney wasn’t lying when she said Merciless is darker than Vesselless. It’s gritty and emotional and heartbreakingly beautiful. I laughed, I grimaced, I cried.
I encourage doing a Vesselless re-read if it’s been a minute. You’ll want the full cast of characters fresh in your mind. And avoid spoilers for Merciless! (I’ll keep this review spoiler-free.)
Chapter 1 of the second book in the Merciless Realms series starts by giving us answers. Fate and prophecy continue to play a major role in this story, and it seems like two people in particular are pulling strings in attempt to change them.
There is so much yearning. The sacrifices and betrayals are devastating. But there’s also spots of comedic relief — Lo and Coco’s unhinged dynamic is too good. I’m obsessed with Lo, period.
Still unsure how I just keep living my life after that. If you need me, I’ll just be over here staring at a wall.
Thanks to Harper Voyager for the gifted e-ARC! All opinions are my own.
Cortney wasn’t lying when she said Merciless is darker than Vesselless. It’s gritty and emotional and heartbreakingly beautiful. I laughed, I grimaced, I cried.
I encourage doing a Vesselless re-read if it’s been a minute. You’ll want the full cast of characters fresh in your mind. And avoid spoilers for Merciless! (I’ll keep this review spoiler-free.)
Chapter 1 of the second book in the Merciless Realms series starts by giving us answers. Fate and prophecy continue to play a major role in this story, and it seems like two people in particular are pulling strings in attempt to change them.
There is so much yearning. The sacrifices and betrayals are devastating. But there’s also spots of comedic relief — Lo and Coco’s unhinged dynamic is too good. I’m obsessed with Lo, period.
Still unsure how I just keep living my life after that. If you need me, I’ll just be over here staring at a wall.
Thanks to Harper Voyager for the gifted e-ARC! All opinions are my own.
Read
July 3, 2026⚔️🖤 Merciless 🖤⚔️
📖 Bookish Thoughts
My full review will be shared closer to the publication date.
❤️🔥 What to Expect
• Epic Romantasy
• Soul Bond
• Betrayal
• Magical Bargains
• Political Intrigue
_ _ _ _
📅 Pub Date: February 2, 2027
Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the advanced copy.
📖 Bookish Thoughts
My full review will be shared closer to the publication date.
❤️🔥 What to Expect
• Epic Romantasy
• Soul Bond
• Betrayal
• Magical Bargains
• Political Intrigue
_ _ _ _
📅 Pub Date: February 2, 2027
Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the advanced copy.
July 12, 2026
Merciless, indeed. Infinity stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for an ARC.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author for an ARC.
July 6, 2026
Thank you to Cortney, the publisher, and NetGalley for this eARC! *warning: do NOT look at the table of contents/chapter titles before starting, skip over those real fast*
OKAY let’s start off with the fact that Vesselless was a six star read for me last year and I have been basically foaming at the mouth waiting for this book.
This. Book. This damn book. I read it within seven hours. It was seven hours of straight pain and suffering. Books have made me cry and have hurt me before but this was like constant physical pain in my soul (lol)
We pick up right where we left off with Vesselless, which, thank god because WHAT HAPPENED?! We get to finally really meet Lo and Coco (our comedic relief of the book bc we all really need it) Nizzara’s dead but not. Dae is sad and stabby. Everything’s just upside down. I literally can’t say anything else without ruining the book.
I love the world Cortney continues to create and the complex magic that goes along with it. I love that we’re seeing new realms and meeting new characters. I honestly don’t know how it’s going to all play out in book 3 for everyone to get their HEA. I see the lower star reviews already posted for this and, I get to. I do, this wasn’t what you were expecting. I’m pretty sure 99% of us weren’t expecting this. And while I am absolutely GUTTED over it all, I trust Cortney, and can’t wait to see an angry Izzy in book 3.
OKAY let’s start off with the fact that Vesselless was a six star read for me last year and I have been basically foaming at the mouth waiting for this book.
This. Book. This damn book. I read it within seven hours. It was seven hours of straight pain and suffering. Books have made me cry and have hurt me before but this was like constant physical pain in my soul (lol)
We pick up right where we left off with Vesselless, which, thank god because WHAT HAPPENED?! We get to finally really meet Lo and Coco (our comedic relief of the book bc we all really need it) Nizzara’s dead but not. Dae is sad and stabby. Everything’s just upside down. I literally can’t say anything else without ruining the book.
I love the world Cortney continues to create and the complex magic that goes along with it. I love that we’re seeing new realms and meeting new characters. I honestly don’t know how it’s going to all play out in book 3 for everyone to get their HEA. I see the lower star reviews already posted for this and, I get to. I do, this wasn’t what you were expecting. I’m pretty sure 99% of us weren’t expecting this. And while I am absolutely GUTTED over it all, I trust Cortney, and can’t wait to see an angry Izzy in book 3.
July 8, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the gifted eARC!
This book took what I thought I knew about the story’s direction, violently tossed me in a different direction, and yet made me want to stay there 😉 I adored Vesselless and Cortney somehow managed to exceed all of my very, very high expectations for book 2. I wanted to yell at her and thank her all at the same time for the emotional turmoil, and I’m so grateful for the reader community she’s created that crashed out in real time with me.
This review is purposefully vague because I feel like everything is a spoiler, but if you enjoyed book 1 and want to continue, I would highly recommend rereading book 1 if it’s been a while before you dive in. Don’t be like me who thought “oh I’ll be fine”, quickly went “WHAT”, and then went back to reset my brain. And this is not because book 2 is confusing; it’s because some twists were so intricately and masterfully buried that I wanted to refresh myself on those finer details to make the impact even larger 🔥
Now excuse me while I languish away while I wait for book 3 🫠
This book took what I thought I knew about the story’s direction, violently tossed me in a different direction, and yet made me want to stay there 😉 I adored Vesselless and Cortney somehow managed to exceed all of my very, very high expectations for book 2. I wanted to yell at her and thank her all at the same time for the emotional turmoil, and I’m so grateful for the reader community she’s created that crashed out in real time with me.
This review is purposefully vague because I feel like everything is a spoiler, but if you enjoyed book 1 and want to continue, I would highly recommend rereading book 1 if it’s been a while before you dive in. Don’t be like me who thought “oh I’ll be fine”, quickly went “WHAT”, and then went back to reset my brain. And this is not because book 2 is confusing; it’s because some twists were so intricately and masterfully buried that I wanted to refresh myself on those finer details to make the impact even larger 🔥
Now excuse me while I languish away while I wait for book 3 🫠
September 7, 2026
5 STARS!!!
I did not think this book could be better than Vesselless because I LOVED the first book. Like loved loved it. I did make my BFF read it and recommended it to many others. No shame.
HOWEVER, Merciless said, "cool cool cool... Let me emotionally destroy you." I did NOT expect this story to go where it went. At all. And obviously I can't say much without spoiling things because I really think you need to experience this one knowing as little as possible...
But OOF.
The pain. The emotion. The love. The grief. The sacrifice. The growth. The yearning. ALL OF IT. This book was beautiful and absolutely gut-wrenching at the same time. When I started to realize EVERYTHING MEANS SOMETHING, it kept me so invested ngl... I was able to anticipate a little of how this would go towards the middle, but it was so satisfying.
I thought the character growth in this book was incredible. These are messy, complicated, traumatized people making impossible choices, loving people they probably shouldn't, hurting each other, protecting each other, sacrificing for each other... My heart was STRESSED.
But the banter? TOP. TIER. I did not just feel stressed or devastated, but I was also laughing and kicking my feet between emotional breakdowns. The banter and tension were SO GOOD. Even during some of the darkest parts of the story, those little moments of humor and sarcasm kept the dialogue so balanced.
Let's not forget about the insane YEARNING. FFS... I need it and got it in spades... There is something about love that is tangled up in sacrifice, pain, impossible choices, and the belief that the other person deserves something better than you that apparently scratches a very specific part of my brain... I eat that up every single time...
I'm a simple woman. Give me a man who thinks he's the monster in her story while quietly being willing to destroy himself for her happiness and I'm DONE.
This is officially one of those series I will continue recommending and screaming from the rooftops about.
READ. THESE. BOOKS.
I'm so incredibly grateful I had the opportunity to ARC read Merciless, especially after loving Vesselless so much.
But also...
This was actually very rude because now I have to WAIT FOR THE NEXT BOOK???
Excuse me???
Guess I'll just reread these 800 times while I wait. 🙃
Quotes That Got Me
"Make me bleed your favorite color."
"I belong in your nightmares, not in your hands."
"I'll stay in your darkness with you until it passes."
"My soul will always gravitate to you."
"To love a rose is to love its thorns."
Tropes + Things I Loved
✨ Dark romantasy
✨ Enemies to... it's complicated 😂
✨ Soulmates
✨ Forced proximity
✨ Touch her and absolutely die
✨ Morally gray EVERYTHING
✨ "I'm a monster" MMC
✨ Who did this to you?
✨ Sacrifice
✨ Trauma + healing
✨ Powerful FMC
✨ Found family
✨ Political intrigue
✨ Banter for DAYS
✨ The YEARNING
Now respectfully, Cortney...
BOOK THREE. 😭
I did not think this book could be better than Vesselless because I LOVED the first book. Like loved loved it. I did make my BFF read it and recommended it to many others. No shame.
HOWEVER, Merciless said, "cool cool cool... Let me emotionally destroy you." I did NOT expect this story to go where it went. At all. And obviously I can't say much without spoiling things because I really think you need to experience this one knowing as little as possible...
But OOF.
The pain. The emotion. The love. The grief. The sacrifice. The growth. The yearning. ALL OF IT. This book was beautiful and absolutely gut-wrenching at the same time. When I started to realize EVERYTHING MEANS SOMETHING, it kept me so invested ngl... I was able to anticipate a little of how this would go towards the middle, but it was so satisfying.
I thought the character growth in this book was incredible. These are messy, complicated, traumatized people making impossible choices, loving people they probably shouldn't, hurting each other, protecting each other, sacrificing for each other... My heart was STRESSED.
But the banter? TOP. TIER. I did not just feel stressed or devastated, but I was also laughing and kicking my feet between emotional breakdowns. The banter and tension were SO GOOD. Even during some of the darkest parts of the story, those little moments of humor and sarcasm kept the dialogue so balanced.
Let's not forget about the insane YEARNING. FFS... I need it and got it in spades... There is something about love that is tangled up in sacrifice, pain, impossible choices, and the belief that the other person deserves something better than you that apparently scratches a very specific part of my brain... I eat that up every single time...
I'm a simple woman. Give me a man who thinks he's the monster in her story while quietly being willing to destroy himself for her happiness and I'm DONE.
This is officially one of those series I will continue recommending and screaming from the rooftops about.
READ. THESE. BOOKS.
I'm so incredibly grateful I had the opportunity to ARC read Merciless, especially after loving Vesselless so much.
But also...
This was actually very rude because now I have to WAIT FOR THE NEXT BOOK???
Excuse me???
Guess I'll just reread these 800 times while I wait. 🙃
Quotes That Got Me
"Make me bleed your favorite color."
"I belong in your nightmares, not in your hands."
"I'll stay in your darkness with you until it passes."
"My soul will always gravitate to you."
"To love a rose is to love its thorns."
Tropes + Things I Loved
✨ Dark romantasy
✨ Enemies to... it's complicated 😂
✨ Soulmates
✨ Forced proximity
✨ Touch her and absolutely die
✨ Morally gray EVERYTHING
✨ "I'm a monster" MMC
✨ Who did this to you?
✨ Sacrifice
✨ Trauma + healing
✨ Powerful FMC
✨ Found family
✨ Political intrigue
✨ Banter for DAYS
✨ The YEARNING
Now respectfully, Cortney...
BOOK THREE. 😭
August 21, 2026
♾️/5⭐️ 3/5🌶️
This review is difficult to write, there is so much to say but my heart is in shreds. This was exactly what the title states, merciless. This was relentlessly heavy and the yearning/sacrifice in the story was breathtaking.
I left book one satisfied, but this blew me away. I anticipated a predictable plot line but I never knew where we were headed (in the best way.) This was extremely dark but worth it in my opinion, so check your triggers. The supporting characters were fantastic. I would read an entire series about Lo or Marlo. They were equally my favorite side characters.
Vesselless felt much different from a plot and character motivation standpoint, but I loved the pivots and changes from plot developments and twists. I love that the entirety of book one is world building and foundation without being blatant in its goal to do so. Book one set up Merciless to be free of info dumping, and the characters tell the story primarily through action. It was perfect. Some info felt super obvious, but I was still ensnared and unsure of how that info would end up playing out in the end.
When I started this book, it felt like getting into a car to go on an expected errand but it turned out to be a surprise journey. The tension and heartache felt like that car was then in a horrific accident at times, but in a good way? 😅😭🤷🏻♀️
What the hell am I going to do until book three comes? I have no clue. I want to holler about this from the proverbial rooftops, this was absolutely perfect.
Anticipated Publication Date: February 2nd, 2027
A HUGE thank you to Cortney Winn, HarperCollins, and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
This review is difficult to write, there is so much to say but my heart is in shreds. This was exactly what the title states, merciless. This was relentlessly heavy and the yearning/sacrifice in the story was breathtaking.
I left book one satisfied, but this blew me away. I anticipated a predictable plot line but I never knew where we were headed (in the best way.) This was extremely dark but worth it in my opinion, so check your triggers. The supporting characters were fantastic. I would read an entire series about Lo or Marlo. They were equally my favorite side characters.
Vesselless felt much different from a plot and character motivation standpoint, but I loved the pivots and changes from plot developments and twists. I love that the entirety of book one is world building and foundation without being blatant in its goal to do so. Book one set up Merciless to be free of info dumping, and the characters tell the story primarily through action. It was perfect. Some info felt super obvious, but I was still ensnared and unsure of how that info would end up playing out in the end.
When I started this book, it felt like getting into a car to go on an expected errand but it turned out to be a surprise journey. The tension and heartache felt like that car was then in a horrific accident at times, but in a good way? 😅😭🤷🏻♀️
What the hell am I going to do until book three comes? I have no clue. I want to holler about this from the proverbial rooftops, this was absolutely perfect.
Anticipated Publication Date: February 2nd, 2027
A HUGE thank you to Cortney Winn, HarperCollins, and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.
July 14, 2026
After absolutely loving Vesseless, I couldn’t wait to dive into Merciless—and somehow, it exceeded every expectation I had.
If you haven’t read Vesseless yet, do yourself a favor and pick it up now. Trust me, you’re going to want to be caught up before Merciless releases.
The world-building is absolutely top-tier. Every setting felt vivid and intentional, creating a world that was immersive without ever feeling overwhelming. It’s the kind of fantasy that makes you want to keep reading “just one more chapter” because there’s always another layer waiting to be uncovered.
The character development is one of this book’s greatest strengths. Every relationship feels earned, and I found myself deeply invested in the characters’ journeys. The emotional connections, growth, and tension between the characters made it impossible not to become attached.
Just when I thought I knew where the story was headed, another twist completely caught me off guard. Time and time again, this book proved that it was always one step ahead of me, and I loved every second of it.
And let’s talk about the romance… the chemistry is undeniable, and the spice is perfection. Every intimate scene felt purposeful, adding to the emotional depth of the story instead of taking away from it.🥵🌶️
As an added bonus, the author created a Spotify playlist inspired by the book, and it made the reading experience even more immersive.
This series has completely earned a permanent place on my favorites shelf. If I could give Merciless more than five stars, I absolutely would—this is an infinite-star read for me. Now comes the hardest part: figuring out how I’m supposed to wait for the next book after that ending.
Thank you to the author and publisher for the opportunity to read and review an ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
If you haven’t read Vesseless yet, do yourself a favor and pick it up now. Trust me, you’re going to want to be caught up before Merciless releases.
The world-building is absolutely top-tier. Every setting felt vivid and intentional, creating a world that was immersive without ever feeling overwhelming. It’s the kind of fantasy that makes you want to keep reading “just one more chapter” because there’s always another layer waiting to be uncovered.
The character development is one of this book’s greatest strengths. Every relationship feels earned, and I found myself deeply invested in the characters’ journeys. The emotional connections, growth, and tension between the characters made it impossible not to become attached.
Just when I thought I knew where the story was headed, another twist completely caught me off guard. Time and time again, this book proved that it was always one step ahead of me, and I loved every second of it.
And let’s talk about the romance… the chemistry is undeniable, and the spice is perfection. Every intimate scene felt purposeful, adding to the emotional depth of the story instead of taking away from it.🥵🌶️
As an added bonus, the author created a Spotify playlist inspired by the book, and it made the reading experience even more immersive.
This series has completely earned a permanent place on my favorites shelf. If I could give Merciless more than five stars, I absolutely would—this is an infinite-star read for me. Now comes the hardest part: figuring out how I’m supposed to wait for the next book after that ending.
Thank you to the author and publisher for the opportunity to read and review an ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
5 stars isn’t enough. Give it all the stars.
I went into Merciless thinking I knew exactly what I wanted after Vesselless.
Apparently, I didn’t know SHIT.
Because Cortney took EVERYTHING I thought I wanted, threw it directly in the trash, and somehow gave me something SO much better.
Nizzara absolutely stole this book for me. I struggled with her stubbornness in Vesselless, but THIS Nizzara? She's strong, resilient, and still completely herself, but in a way that made me love her so much more. Watching her navigate everything thrown at her with such strength made me appreciate her character on an entirely different level.
Merciless didn’t just surpass Vesselless for me. It completely changed what I wanted from this story.
I thought I knew what I was waiting for. What I needed to happen. Where I wanted this story to go. Cortney said, “No, you don’t” and she was right.
She took everything I thought I wanted, gave me something I never knew I needed instead, and now I’m sitting here wondering how I was ever rooting for anything else.
And that ending? Absolutely broke my heart.
I finished with approximately 700 more questions than I started with, my heart in pieces, and an absolutely feral need for the next book.
Cortney, respectfully, WHAT THE FUCK.
I went into Merciless thinking I knew exactly what I wanted after Vesselless.
Apparently, I didn’t know SHIT.
Because Cortney took EVERYTHING I thought I wanted, threw it directly in the trash, and somehow gave me something SO much better.
Nizzara absolutely stole this book for me. I struggled with her stubbornness in Vesselless, but THIS Nizzara? She's strong, resilient, and still completely herself, but in a way that made me love her so much more. Watching her navigate everything thrown at her with such strength made me appreciate her character on an entirely different level.
Merciless didn’t just surpass Vesselless for me. It completely changed what I wanted from this story.
I thought I knew what I was waiting for. What I needed to happen. Where I wanted this story to go. Cortney said, “No, you don’t” and she was right.
She took everything I thought I wanted, gave me something I never knew I needed instead, and now I’m sitting here wondering how I was ever rooting for anything else.
And that ending? Absolutely broke my heart.
I finished with approximately 700 more questions than I started with, my heart in pieces, and an absolutely feral need for the next book.
Cortney, respectfully, WHAT THE FUCK.
September 1, 2026
I didn’t even know I was near the end until ACKNOWLEDGMENT hit me in the face and brought me to my knees and I actually couldn’t breathe and just let out this sob/scream/grunt situation because what do you meaaannn😭😭
I finished the majority of this book in one sitting- I couldn’t put it down, and now it’s 11pm and I have no idea how I’m going to sleep tonight. I’m crying, I’m so unwell, I have NO idea what to do with myself until book 3. Aside from SPIRAL.
The plot progression from Vesselless is actually insane and I had no idea we would be brought here. Literally the yearning alone was ♾️⭐️ but add the banter, found family, tension, emotional damage, plot twists, one of the worst villains ever… gahhh this was just incredible.
Thank you Harper Voyager for this advanced copy via NetGalley!
I finished the majority of this book in one sitting- I couldn’t put it down, and now it’s 11pm and I have no idea how I’m going to sleep tonight. I’m crying, I’m so unwell, I have NO idea what to do with myself until book 3. Aside from SPIRAL.
The plot progression from Vesselless is actually insane and I had no idea we would be brought here. Literally the yearning alone was ♾️⭐️ but add the banter, found family, tension, emotional damage, plot twists, one of the worst villains ever… gahhh this was just incredible.
Thank you Harper Voyager for this advanced copy via NetGalley!
July 8, 2026
To say this book was amazing still doesn't give it enough credit. This second installment of Winn's Merciless Realms series made me laugh, cry, sit on the edge of my seat, and absolutely broke my heart in the best of ways. The characters were so vivid, I found myself loving characters I never thought I would, and boy were the twists *twisting*. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a dark romantasy that will tear out your soul in such a way that you beg your best friends to read it. Absolutely an easy 5-star read for me.
July 17, 2026
2.75/3 ⭐️ | Days later, I still don’t know how to rate this one. Did I devour it in 2 days? Yes. Do I think this was a good sequel? No. Will I continue the series? IDK.
Everyone is gonna have an opinion about the romance switch up. I love Sorren don’t get me wrong but ditching Dae was a choice. In fact whatever was important in book 1 was completely thrown out the door and we got whatever this was.
The lack of world building continues to be an issue, the plot holes are jarring, and I REALLY didnt like how certain elements reminded me of other popular books.
Sighhhhhhh
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC
Everyone is gonna have an opinion about the romance switch up. I love Sorren don’t get me wrong but ditching Dae was a choice. In fact whatever was important in book 1 was completely thrown out the door and we got whatever this was.
The lack of world building continues to be an issue, the plot holes are jarring, and I REALLY didnt like how certain elements reminded me of other popular books.
Sighhhhhhh
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 1, 2026
I do not even have words.
my brain chemistry and soul have been ENTIRELY re-wired by merciless.
the entire book was filled to the brim with pain, soul crushing yearning, i’m talking god tier, some of the best i’ve ever read. it’s heavy, dark, emotional, I felt every ounce through the pages. the things I would do for these characters 😭. this was a devastatingly beautiful, dark, adrenaline filled book that I could not stop thinking about or put down. I had so many theories along the way as the story unraveled, but the twists and ending still left me shocked and screaming for book 3.
I truly am at a loss for words on what merciless has done to my soul.
my brain chemistry and soul have been ENTIRELY re-wired by merciless.
the entire book was filled to the brim with pain, soul crushing yearning, i’m talking god tier, some of the best i’ve ever read. it’s heavy, dark, emotional, I felt every ounce through the pages. the things I would do for these characters 😭. this was a devastatingly beautiful, dark, adrenaline filled book that I could not stop thinking about or put down. I had so many theories along the way as the story unraveled, but the twists and ending still left me shocked and screaming for book 3.
I truly am at a loss for words on what merciless has done to my soul.
July 26, 2026
“𝙈𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙢𝙚 𝙗𝙡𝙚𝙚𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙛𝙖𝙫𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙤𝙧.”
This.book. It has taken over and eviscerated my very soul. 6 magnificent stars! This series is so unique and so so good!! The plot, the CHARACTERS! I would burn the world down for Nizzara.
“𝘼𝙣𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜. 𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜.”
The romance will take your heart by storm and leave you a tattered mess (thank you, Cortney for the emotional damage, ilysm). These two will do whatever.it.takes. And they love so fully. Scars, darkness and all.
“𝙏𝙤 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙖 𝙧𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙣𝙨.”
I love how the plot and romance are so perfectly balanced, and I love how dark and delicious it is. This is truly an epic tale you will not want to miss!!! I will just be over here…slowly dying until book 3.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author from the bottom of my dark heart for the eARC!
This.book. It has taken over and eviscerated my very soul. 6 magnificent stars! This series is so unique and so so good!! The plot, the CHARACTERS! I would burn the world down for Nizzara.
“𝘼𝙣𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜. 𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜.”
The romance will take your heart by storm and leave you a tattered mess (thank you, Cortney for the emotional damage, ilysm). These two will do whatever.it.takes. And they love so fully. Scars, darkness and all.
“𝙏𝙤 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙖 𝙧𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙩𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧𝙣𝙨.”
I love how the plot and romance are so perfectly balanced, and I love how dark and delicious it is. This is truly an epic tale you will not want to miss!!! I will just be over here…slowly dying until book 3.
Thank you to NetGalley and the author from the bottom of my dark heart for the eARC!
July 8, 2026
⭐️ INFINITE STAR RATING ⭐️
There is nothing, and I mean nothing, that could prepare you for the events that occur after Vesselless. Merciless is exactly its name. It’s fuckin’ merciless.
I’ve loved Nizzara since the beginning and the way she becomes broken and put back together continued to chip away at me while reading Merciless. Alters your own brain chemistry. The writing that Cortney pours into these characters is beyond the realms they reside in.
The trajectory of the storyline is phenomenal and I’m terrified what will come of the next installment because I dont know how much more emotions I have left to spare.
The world building, magic system, character arc, and tension is soooo well done! Hats off to the author! This will definitely be a heavy hitter when it releases in February 2027. Y’all get your tissues ready and clear your schedule. You’ll need it.
There is nothing, and I mean nothing, that could prepare you for the events that occur after Vesselless. Merciless is exactly its name. It’s fuckin’ merciless.
I’ve loved Nizzara since the beginning and the way she becomes broken and put back together continued to chip away at me while reading Merciless. Alters your own brain chemistry. The writing that Cortney pours into these characters is beyond the realms they reside in.
The trajectory of the storyline is phenomenal and I’m terrified what will come of the next installment because I dont know how much more emotions I have left to spare.
The world building, magic system, character arc, and tension is soooo well done! Hats off to the author! This will definitely be a heavy hitter when it releases in February 2027. Y’all get your tissues ready and clear your schedule. You’ll need it.
August 29, 2026
Spoiler Warning because my sanity did not survive this book. 🫠
I genuinely enjoyed this book more than the first one, which I was not expecting because I already had plenty of feelings about these characters. Somehow, this installment took those feelings, threw them into a magical blender, and handed them back to me with even MORE questions.
And I need answers.
Like... immediately.
Because Nizzara sacrificing her soul to save Dagen already had me emotionally compromised, but watching the consequences of that sacrifice unfold? Watching her end up in the hands of someone she trusted, delivered straight to Queen Nexia, stripped of her power and essentially forced into a magical bargain where her freedom, mind, and body are no longer entirely hers?
I was STRESSED.
But what really got me was the emotional weight behind it all.
Nizzara is already fighting to survive, but she is also being forced to question everything she thought she knew. Her connection to Dagen, the people surrounding her, the motives of the person trying to free her, and whether returning to Zarr is even what she wants anymore. There is this constant feeling that every answer she gets only creates three more questions.
And then there is Sorren.
Excuse me???
Because I went into this book with my heart firmly attached to Dagen, and then Sorren showed up and apparently decided that was no longer my decision.
Dagen was already giving me that dark puppy-dog energy in the first book. I liked him. I absolutely did. But I kept waiting for that ALPHA ENERGY I desperately wanted from him, and in this book he lost some serious points with me.
At times, I was practically looking at the page like...
Sir. Please collect yourself.
Meanwhile, Sorren is standing over here radiating exactly the kind of darkness I apparently cannot resist. 😩
And the bond between him and Nizzara?
THE PAIN. THE TENSION. THE EMOTION.
I was completely enthralled.
There is something about the way their connection develops that had me questioning whether I was watching the beginning of something inevitable or witnessing the setup for the most devastating heartbreak imaginable.
Because WHY does it feel like there is so much more happening beneath the surface?
Are Nizzara and Dagen truly soulmates?
Is Sorren another soulmate?
Is this actually going to become a why choose situation?
Is someone lying?
Is someone manipulating them?
Is there something about these bonds that nobody understands yet?
IS ONE OF THEM GOING TO DIE?
Because at this point, I am preparing emotionally for violence.
And I don't mean the magical kind.
I mean the author is about to personally attack my feelings kind of violence. 😂
This book definitely felt more like a bridge into something much bigger at times, especially with how deeply it explores Nizzara and Sorren, their bond, their pain, and everything neither of them seems capable of saying outright. Some readers might consider parts of it filler, but for me, those quieter emotional moments were important because they made me more invested in what comes next.
I needed to understand the connection.
I needed to feel the conflict.
I needed to watch Nizzara wrestle with what she wants versus what she believes she should want.
And Sorren's sacrifice?
THAT WAS EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED.
Give me the darkness.
Give me the devotion that feels dangerous.
Give me the man who will step willingly into the fire because walking away from her is somehow worse.
That man has my entire attention now.
Dagen, I am sorry, but Sorren has entered the chat and I fear your position is no longer secure. 😂
And while Nizzara is fighting her own battles, everything happening back in Zarr adds another layer of emotional destruction. Lo is drowning in guilt while trying to protect her brother from threats that are getting closer, only to find herself facing the consequences of debts from her past.
And then Dagen's feelings suddenly begin changing.
That part had me suspicious as hell.
Because when affection turns cold without explanation, I am not thinking, Oh no, what happened?
I am thinking:
WHO DID THIS?
WHAT DO THEY WANT?
WHAT ARE THEY HIDING?
AND HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE LYING TO THESE POOR PEOPLE?!
Then you throw in a life debt, a powerful potion-maker demanding payment, and the possibility of Dagen being forced into marriage with someone else...
Yeah.
I was done.
This entire book had me sitting there trying to connect dots that were apparently determined to stay several miles apart.
But honestly, that is what kept me turning the pages.
There are SO many unanswered questions now, and I have become emotionally attached enough to these characters that I am genuinely terrified of getting the answers.
Because my heart wants Dagen.
My curiosity wants Sorren.
And my paranoia is telling me nobody is safe.
The characters are strong, but I did find myself frustrated because at times it felt like characters with so much potential were being written weaker than I expected them to be. I know there is more underneath the surface, though, and I have a feeling some of these weaknesses are going to become very different once everything starts coming together.
So yes...
4 stars from me. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Not because I wasn't invested.
Quite the opposite.
I was WAY too invested.
I just wanted more of that powerful, commanding energy from some of these characters, especially Dagen. But Sorren? That man absolutely understood the assignment.
Now I am sitting here with a ridiculous number of questions, an unhealthy amount of suspicion, and the overwhelming feeling that the next book is going to hurt me.
And honestly?
I am ready to be emotionally destroyed. 🖤
Just please don't make me choose.
Because I genuinely don't think my heart is equipped for that.
I genuinely enjoyed this book more than the first one, which I was not expecting because I already had plenty of feelings about these characters. Somehow, this installment took those feelings, threw them into a magical blender, and handed them back to me with even MORE questions.
And I need answers.
Like... immediately.
Because Nizzara sacrificing her soul to save Dagen already had me emotionally compromised, but watching the consequences of that sacrifice unfold? Watching her end up in the hands of someone she trusted, delivered straight to Queen Nexia, stripped of her power and essentially forced into a magical bargain where her freedom, mind, and body are no longer entirely hers?
I was STRESSED.
But what really got me was the emotional weight behind it all.
Nizzara is already fighting to survive, but she is also being forced to question everything she thought she knew. Her connection to Dagen, the people surrounding her, the motives of the person trying to free her, and whether returning to Zarr is even what she wants anymore. There is this constant feeling that every answer she gets only creates three more questions.
And then there is Sorren.
Excuse me???
Because I went into this book with my heart firmly attached to Dagen, and then Sorren showed up and apparently decided that was no longer my decision.
Dagen was already giving me that dark puppy-dog energy in the first book. I liked him. I absolutely did. But I kept waiting for that ALPHA ENERGY I desperately wanted from him, and in this book he lost some serious points with me.
At times, I was practically looking at the page like...
Sir. Please collect yourself.
Meanwhile, Sorren is standing over here radiating exactly the kind of darkness I apparently cannot resist. 😩
And the bond between him and Nizzara?
THE PAIN. THE TENSION. THE EMOTION.
I was completely enthralled.
There is something about the way their connection develops that had me questioning whether I was watching the beginning of something inevitable or witnessing the setup for the most devastating heartbreak imaginable.
Because WHY does it feel like there is so much more happening beneath the surface?
Are Nizzara and Dagen truly soulmates?
Is Sorren another soulmate?
Is this actually going to become a why choose situation?
Is someone lying?
Is someone manipulating them?
Is there something about these bonds that nobody understands yet?
IS ONE OF THEM GOING TO DIE?
Because at this point, I am preparing emotionally for violence.
And I don't mean the magical kind.
I mean the author is about to personally attack my feelings kind of violence. 😂
This book definitely felt more like a bridge into something much bigger at times, especially with how deeply it explores Nizzara and Sorren, their bond, their pain, and everything neither of them seems capable of saying outright. Some readers might consider parts of it filler, but for me, those quieter emotional moments were important because they made me more invested in what comes next.
I needed to understand the connection.
I needed to feel the conflict.
I needed to watch Nizzara wrestle with what she wants versus what she believes she should want.
And Sorren's sacrifice?
THAT WAS EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED.
Give me the darkness.
Give me the devotion that feels dangerous.
Give me the man who will step willingly into the fire because walking away from her is somehow worse.
That man has my entire attention now.
Dagen, I am sorry, but Sorren has entered the chat and I fear your position is no longer secure. 😂
And while Nizzara is fighting her own battles, everything happening back in Zarr adds another layer of emotional destruction. Lo is drowning in guilt while trying to protect her brother from threats that are getting closer, only to find herself facing the consequences of debts from her past.
And then Dagen's feelings suddenly begin changing.
That part had me suspicious as hell.
Because when affection turns cold without explanation, I am not thinking, Oh no, what happened?
I am thinking:
WHO DID THIS?
WHAT DO THEY WANT?
WHAT ARE THEY HIDING?
AND HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE LYING TO THESE POOR PEOPLE?!
Then you throw in a life debt, a powerful potion-maker demanding payment, and the possibility of Dagen being forced into marriage with someone else...
Yeah.
I was done.
This entire book had me sitting there trying to connect dots that were apparently determined to stay several miles apart.
But honestly, that is what kept me turning the pages.
There are SO many unanswered questions now, and I have become emotionally attached enough to these characters that I am genuinely terrified of getting the answers.
Because my heart wants Dagen.
My curiosity wants Sorren.
And my paranoia is telling me nobody is safe.
The characters are strong, but I did find myself frustrated because at times it felt like characters with so much potential were being written weaker than I expected them to be. I know there is more underneath the surface, though, and I have a feeling some of these weaknesses are going to become very different once everything starts coming together.
So yes...
4 stars from me. ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Not because I wasn't invested.
Quite the opposite.
I was WAY too invested.
I just wanted more of that powerful, commanding energy from some of these characters, especially Dagen. But Sorren? That man absolutely understood the assignment.
Now I am sitting here with a ridiculous number of questions, an unhealthy amount of suspicion, and the overwhelming feeling that the next book is going to hurt me.
And honestly?
I am ready to be emotionally destroyed. 🖤
Just please don't make me choose.
Because I genuinely don't think my heart is equipped for that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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