The biggest thing Lyra Bloom knows about dragons is a lie.
Reassigned from the brutal Citadel and sent to the Northern Peaks to fight exiled dragons, Lyra knows exactly what the orders a one-way trip. A death sentence. But when Talen arrives to rescue her in a form she can barely comprehend, Lyra is taken to a hidden camp where every truth she was taught begins to unravel.
Dragons may not be the monsters she was raised to fear. The Citadel’s cruelty may be hiding something far worse than control. And the power threaded through Lyra’s veins may be more dangerous than anyone realised.
And when the Blood Moon rises, Lyra will face the ceremony meant to separate the worthy from the weak. It will tear open her Threads, expose the truths she has buried, and force her to face everything she has spent years trying to survive.
But surviving the ceremony may not be enough, because something dark is growing beyond the Northern Peaks... A black mist that even the dragons fear...
Oaths of Ruin is a slow-burn epic fantasy romance with dragons, being released in two volumes. Volume Blood Moon is available now, with Volume II coming soon.
SADISM. that’s what it is to read this series!! wtf was that ending?? 5 stars, hehe.
this book had me going through all the stages of a fever. SO MANY EMOTIONS! i was heartbroken, then i was giggling and kicking my feet, i was so confused, i was eating up the banter, and i was SO MAD. there are a few people i’m side eyeing, a few things i’m shocked at, and i need closure on some things too.
the stakes are SO much higher after this book, Talen is soooooo dreamy (are we surprised) and Lyra steps tf up in this. i have loved this series, i cannot wait for the second half of this book!
At a certain point I was just showing up for Dave, bless his chonky self, because this was rough. Especially compared to the 1st book—the pacing was off and there were times when the writing just felt sloppy. Also, why do you have to say Talens “POV”? What is this, amature TikTok story telling? And the build up to Lyra breaking the tele-textie-whatever was so dumb and painfully obvious. It felt like the author was strrrrretching this puppy out for idk what reason bc any professional editor should have been like “sis, you gotta cut the nonsense out and get to the action.”
Q1. Why are you releasing Oaths of Ruin in two volumes?
One of the biggest challenges authors face is balancing two competing goals: keeping readers waiting as little as possible while also giving the story enough time to be the best it can be. There's often a lot of pressure to release quickly, BUT rushing a book usually isn't good for anyone—not the story, and not the readers.
Splitting Oaths of Ruin into two volumes initially lets me do both. I can get the first half into your hands much sooner, while giving the second half the time it needs for editing, polishing, and making sure it lives up to the story I want to tell.
Once both volumes are complete, they will later be consolidated as one full novel, available in ebook, paperback, and hardback. x
Nope. Just… nope. Even the promising storyline, the one thing I loved about the first book, stalled into nothingness in this second installment. It just stopped all forward movement, going absolutely nowhere. We spent the entire book watching Lyra try to use her magic while waiting to bond with a dragon. That’s it. Now, add that to how much I truly, deeply dislike Lyra. Beyond even the constant lust repetitions, this book adds even more infuriating, stupidly insistent, and honestly cruel, stubbornness in her shining repertoire. In this case it’s her CONTINUED refusal of any kind of relationship with Talen because she feels soooo guilty and if she allows herself to have feelings for him, she will have to let go of her guilt. Seriously, she says this.. over and over and over again. SOPE, we have two complete books with no forward movement in the relationship department, as well. AND, Talen is STILL yearning and being treated like crap. Fun… NOT.
I was so happy to have this early. And I really love these characters. However, I was a little bit disappointed, compared to book one. This book felt really rushed and there were a lot of things happening that didn’t feel fully explored. Like Ahria. All of a sudden Lyra has a dragon and apparently she can’t live without her. She says so. But it feels like it just came out of nowhere. Telling not showing. And the LGBT representation- while great, felt very much like it was just thrown in to tick a box. Suddenly Lyra was like “Reya is hot” “I’m questioning my sexuality” when there was no question of her liking girls in book one (which isn’t the problem). Then the scene happens but she’s not even really interested in Reya while it’s happening, it’s Talen. and then there’s no mention of anything with Reya again or Lyra’s feelings for her except irritation (that’s the problem). So putting it in really felt like it wasn’t needed. Would have been much more meaningful to have it between two characters as part of their development. I’d like to see something of Reya and whoever she is interested in instead, where the characters are actually interested in each other. Overall it just felt rushed and not fully padded out. But I did also enjoy it and will read the next one.
Honestly, I am a bit disappointed by this after loving book one.
By the end of book one, the story was built up to a great sequel and I feel like this book failed to deliver that.
We never found out what the movement is really trying to achieve, we didn't get more world building but we sure as hell got a lot of insight into Talen's previous love life.
As for Lyra, there was very little actual character development and what tried to be character development just ended up repeating the same themes over and over again without achieving much.
Sadly the plot twists and the buildups to said twists were extremely predictable and the book itself was really dragged out. If this is only Volume I with 436 pages of esentially... nothing, what could Volume II be about? If this whole volume was just a buildup then it was really dragged out and unispiring and honestly everything in this volume could have been achieved in half the pages so the reader doesn't get bored out of their minds.
All in all I wish it delivered what Veins of Power could but this book ended up being super underwhelming. :(
After the ending of book one I needed this sequel!! This had one of my favorite things ever about dragons in it 👀 IYKYK Such a unique take. Becky also loves to destroy us with her endings and she did it AGAIN and I need Volume 2 ASAP!!
Book 1 had potential so I really hoped it would pick up in book 2 but alas, it got worse. Don’t even get me started on the random dream cheating (and bi awakening?!). Author fully lost the plot with this one, kids 👎😑
This should not have been released in volumes. The author should have waited until it was finished and then published as a whole.
I get it. I understand the reasoning behind releasing this in two volumes, but that doesn’t mean it’s a good idea. What’s it’s done - as other reviewers have pointed out - is given us a 400-odd page book of essentially nothing.
When you don’t have the second half of the book itself, the first half gets dragged out completely unnecessarily to fill that void. There’s no way to view it in context of the second half of the book and it means as a reader we had all this build up in book 1 only for this to fall flat.
It also means for vol2 to be substantial enough, you’ll have to add another 400-odd pages, which then creates a mammoth 800+ page book at the end if combined in the way the author has explained they will once it’s finished.
On top of that, the editing in this is horrendous. There were duplicate sentences, missing punctuation and typos all over the place (at least in the KU version). The justification of the split into two was “giving each book the time it needs to be properly edited, polished and finished” and this was none of those things.
Reviewing the story itself… there’s not much to say? We follow Lyra around the camp while she wrestles with her grief and guilt for everything that happened in book 1. Talen is off-page for 90% of the time, with the odd POV chapter of his thrown in which is labelled “Talen’s POV” and makes it feel like it was never edited post-draft. Lyra spends 80% of the book being mad at him, avoiding him, then he hurts his arm and suddenly she forgives him for everything. They send notes back and forth, there’s a weirdly long build up to Lyra inevitably breaking the note-sending contraption which at this moment in time appears to have zero consequence.
What’s even more frustrating about that is Lyra references having read and re-read loads of notes from Talen about his background, upbringing and who he is - we never get to see or learn any of this.
Like, I know people can exaggerate when they say nothing happens in a book but truly, up until the last 3 chapters, literally nothing happens. Lyra spends the entire book prepping for this blood moon bonding ritual for it to be over so fast you’re left wondering what the hell all the fuss was about. It’s incredibly frustrating when the first book had built up to what felt like something monumental, and this is so flat.
The immediate ending picks up, though the spicy scene could not be more shoe-horned in if it tried. Lucien warns Lyra that Talen needs 30 minutes to get back in his head when he shifts from Cal and claims he’s learned that the hard way, only for it to turn out it’s because what? He has “limited control” and can’t refrain from sleeping with his girlfriend? Ugh.
The only reason this gets 2 stars and not 1 is because I am still genuinely interested in the story - when we actually get back to it. This isn’t it.
Is your house ever a complete disaster with an endless list of things you need to get done, and instead of doing anything important or worthwhile, you choose to clean out a random junk drawer? That is me and this series.
Okay, so I want to follow up on my review of the first book in which my main criticism revolved around the book being too similar to another very popular book. I’m glad to say the similarities got significantly less in book two (there were still some but if this was the first book of the series I’m not sure I would’ve even picked up on it). However, I did struggle with book two. I felt the pacing was off. In large parts of the book nothing really happened (at least nothing that kept me invested). The frequent time jumps didn’t help either. Plus, you’re supposed to be rooting for the MCs, but they are not in the same place nor are they in contact with each other for the majority of the book which made me loose interest in them. Also, there was ow drama - again. I’m not a fan of that but here especially because we already had plenty of that in book 1. Speaking of which, I don’t know what’s with Reya but she makes me very uncomfortable.
AHH!! What a thrill of a trip!! THAT ENDING? THAT BOOK? LIKE WHAT? I love this book so much, I loved Veins of Power also!! This series is a absolute must!! The way the book flowed from the 1st book was perfection. You didn't see like you lost time at all during the books and it just picked up from where it left off. You get so much more in this second book 1st part. The world starts expanding and you get to see much more of it! I can't wait to see what else we will be exploring as the book continues. I love that I got to see Lyra outside of the Citadel and had she handles things. At the beginning it was understandable of her attitude and feelings towards everything but I love that she started to settle in and make friends and start learning and being there. The story must continue and I cannot wait for the to see how Volume 2 goes!! More dragons, more secrets, more everything is on the horizon and I cannot wait!!
Honestly, I think the sequel is better than the first book! The pacing stays strong, and there's no endless overthinking from the FMC repeated a hundred times. What a refreshing change!
The story has also developed in a really positive way, especially now that dragons have entered the picture. I love that, in their original natural form, they're no bigger than a mouse. It's such a fun and unique idea, and definitely something I haven't come across before!
My only disappointment was the abrupt ending, leaving so many things unresolved. That said, I understand this book is being released in two parts, which makes the cliffhanger a little more understandable. I'm definitely curious to see how the story continues!
I jumped straight into this after finishing book one in the series, however, I did find the pacing a bit slow for the first half and it felt put-downable. Once I reached halfway things definitely amped up and I had to keep going!
I loved the supporting characters and of course got myself attached to one (Becky you know what you did 😠).
The ending was a complete cliffhanger and now I have to wait foreverrrrrr for answers 😩
This was SUCH a fun read. After how the first one ended and the pain that came with that it was so nice to be back in this world.
You do get a several new characters, but I felt like they were introduced in a way that didn't make it hard to follow.
This installment of the series has a seriously awesome play on dragons that I have never read before. And now I wish all of the dragons were like this.
This was also a fast read, much shorter than book one and the pacing was consistent. Oh... and Talen <3
2 stars⭐️⭐️ Honestly, I’m pretty disappointed with this one. I feel like the book completely lost sight of the main plot and became way too focused on the sexual tension between Talon and Lyra. What started as something that could have added depth to their relationship eventually felt like it was taking over the entire story, and by the end, I was just exhausted by it.
What frustrated me the most was Lyra’s constant refusal to actually deal with her feelings. I understand that shutting people out and using sex as a coping mechanism was meant to reflect where she was emotionally, but after a while, it stopped feeling like meaningful character development and started feeling incredibly repetitive. I kept wanting her to actually confront what she was feeling instead of running from it over and over again.
And it wasn’t just Lyra. When it wasn’t Lyra getting distracted by their sexual tension, it was Talon. There were so many moments where I felt like he could have been pushing the actual plot forward, investigating things, making important decisions, or moving the story along, but instead, we kept circling back to the same tension between them. At some point, I was like, WE GET IT. THEY’RE ATTRACTED TO EACH OTHER. 😭
And that’s what makes this so frustrating: this book had SO much potential. There were so many interesting plot points and character dynamics that I wanted to see explored, but they often felt pushed aside in favor of the same cycle of emotional avoidance and sexual tension. By the end, I honestly just hoped Lyra got burned alive by the dragon to put me out of my misery!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Just finished, honestly felt rushed, too many’s questions and little answers, feels like is dragging the story so it does not finish, about 50 pages to the end so many things happened and so confusing, it felt very rushed and shallow, I am still waiting for the part II but I am feeling a bit turned down, and I loved the first book. Was very refreshing
The furthest I read, just could not tolerate it anymore. Think what you will, and maybe some of you are so used to the profanity you don’t even hear it anymore. But it slams into the ears of my brain like a sledgehammer and every sentence it seems. I cannot believe how limited in the English language these authors are, but they can’t come up with better expletives than F.U.C.K. Which, by the way originally meant Fornication Under Consent of the King. True story.
Review for Book 1 & 2 of Threads Series WITH SPOILERS!!!
I read everything from a made for tv/movie viewpoint so, here are my thoughts. Spoilers!! Read at your own peril.
Fox is a MUCH better writer than many of the current authors who’ve gained tv adaptation deal. Her work on the Threads Series (with only 2 books currently released) is far SUPERIOR to “popular” dragon series of the same genre.
The world building is well done so that the reader can visualize themselves in each environment alongside the characters. The premise of the series storyline is familiar to most fantasy readers with a clear “good vs evil” trope and similar to existing fantasy/Romatacy and paranormal themes in terms of an ongoing fight against corrupt practices, laws, and hierarchy. Many readers, like myself, crave a leisure time diversion from real life corrupt patriarchal power structures. We want to read about powerfully intelligent women living by their own values.
Here’s where it comes to matter of personal choice. I appreciate this author’s choices not to make the FMC a magical “know it all” and not to let the story “tell” readers “how smart and special” she is. I prefer any FMC driven story describe an emotionally intelligent person who is self actualized. The 1st two books give us a gorgeous, emotionally hot mess of a heroine, which grew (for me) a bit tedious as the story went on. I definitely like this FMC MORE than the soon to be adapted for tv series that has its fandom in a twist over fan casting. I like her MORE because the author has taken the time to allow her to “demonstrate” who she is rather than have her depicted as a Mary Sue that everyone in the story (and the author) “tell us” how special she is. Readers can decide for themselves if we think she’s intelligent, capable, emotionally stable, worth the continued read.
This FMC has to earn every inch of self actualization. She has to overcome her upbringing, history, and lack of training. She is however, (for me) lagging in the critical thinking/observation/self awareness departments, choosing instead to give in to a daily battle against her own self doubt and overly time consuming thoughts about the MMC. For this to be adapted for tv/movie consumption, these conditions (in my opinion) make it a bit difficult to capture a wide audience in the age ranges and demographics that studios wish to attract. One caveat is that the author has made the brilliant choice to allow the dragons to appear in miniature form, which would be, from a budgetary perspective) less costly to CGI/create. Also…it’s a unique & interesting choice as: WHO DOESN’T WANT A POCKET SIZED DRAGON? The production costs would be more manageable and the merch opportunities are there.
The readers spend an extraordinary amount of time learning what is upsetting the FMC and who the MMC has had previous “relationships” with rather than exploring the different facets and their infrastructure of this world (Innerlanders/Outterlanders/Citadel Leadership.) I REALLY want to understand what the “Movement” is actually gearing up to accomplish. As of Book 2, there’s no real Movement consensus on what it is they hope to achieve other than remove one creepy all powerful corrupt cult leader inside the Citadel/completely end the Citadel power structure. This is a void in the overall storyline for the readers as they must be content with micro observations made by the FMC of passed notes, accidentally observing partial conversations, and then spending ZERO time reflecting on what they could mean. There is no scene in which movement members have meaningful consensus. The FMC spends an EXTRAORDINARY amount of time worrying about the mental health/opinions/appeasement of her newly acquired “friends” (also her obvious enemies) without really having a clear or demonstrated personal purpose/set of values. This repeatedly causes her to disrupt the movement, endanger herself and her “friends,” and regular civilians. The letter threader was particularly upsetting from a “movement/rebellion/revolution” standpoint if you’re a fan of intelligence & forward moving storylines. It was a HUGE breach of security just to pass love notes. Think Andor level dead drops/tradecraft techniques to pass information. Wouldn’t the FMC just ASK Lucien to ask HIS DRAGON to communicate with the MMC rather than RISKING the use of a magical communication device that SENDS PRINTED intelligence communications during their “love texting?” I do appreciate NOT having to read all the indoctrinated military-esque hierarchy trope nonsense we read through in the OTHER series. I DEFINITELY appreciate not having non-con amnesia marriage/pregnancy foisted on us, BUT…I personally would have liked a much more nuanced and thoughtful approach to “movement” goals/communications dispatches & a more well demonstrated ability to critically access & use the tidbits our FMC is seeing/hearing/dreaming/learning. BE SMARTER, Lyra!
Sent on a suicide mission to the brutal Northern Peaks, Lyra expects to die fighting dragons. Instead, she is rescued by Talen and dragged into a hidden camp where every Citadel lie she ever learned goes up in flames. With a deadly Blood Moon ceremony approaching and a sinister black mist creeping across the land, she has to face the terrifying magic awakening in her own veins. - Dragon fantasy romance - Slow burn - Hidden magic threads - Deadly moon trials - Looming dark threat *** I read this book in one day. I could not put it down, and this was absolutely no surprise. After reading book one earlier this year, I have been eagerly waiting for the next instalment to this epic series, and it did not disappoint. Book two is being released in two volumes and this is part one. It picks up immediately where the story left off, dropping you back into the jaw-dropping reveal of the first book.
I’m not sure I know where to start with this review. The writing is excellent, the characters feel real and complex, the storyline is rich and interesting, the settings are dramatic, and the magic feels as though you could reach out and touch it. Oh, and there are dragons with personalities, so of course I am addicted.
Lyra is our FMC and she has been through hell and back, not only at the end of book one but her whole life. Experiencing the loss of her closest friends and home, she is, not surprisingly, physically, mentally and emotionally drained. The writer shows this beautifully. There is no quick fix and no immediate bounce back; this is a long and slow process where we see the inner thoughts, fears and so much more as Lyra pieces her life back together.
Talen, our MMC, we finally get to see through his POV, and I may have cheered. I love love love these insights into his mind, the yearning, oh the yearning, and his pain at carrying the world on his shoulders. Again, there are no shortcuts and no quick fixes. He is just as human as the rest of us. Seeing his struggles to manage his double life, to hold all the secrets, and to be the man he wants to be for Lyra just makes him even more perfect. I mean desirable. I mean amazing. I mean, yes.
It's not just the characters that make this series special. It is so well written and clearly has such varied and rich world building that you are drawn right into it. You can almost see the citadel, the camp, the mountains and so much more. It is also clear that this series has a lot of secrets, hidden easter eggs and so many layers that I have no doubt subsequent re-reads will continue to reveal hints and predictions you miss the first time round.
Special mention has to go to the dragons. They are portrayed in such a unique way in this book. It took me by surprise and really had me hooked. They are still funny, grumpy, sassy and remote creatures that will have you flinching and laughing out loud in equal measure. But their relationships with their riders were told in a new and interesting way. I cannot wait to find out more about them.
Oaths of Ruin: Vol I, Blood moon- Becky Jane Fox 100⭐️ Well true to its name this book RUINED me, Becky wtf?! You can’t do this to me! You can’t just put me through one of the most emotional roller coasters of my life and then just end it like THAT. I would sell my soul to Serrane to get my little paws on Vol II ASAP, and if you have read this or the first book you should know how desperate I am from that statement alone. So trying to give my thoughts without spoiling will be hard so I will try to keep it simple. First of all dragons being so tiny is adorable! As a tiny person reading about powerful beings being so small is just amazing, sure they can grow but still their natural size is tiny and I love that. Second of all Lyra not allowing herself to be happy because she carries all that guilt around, not allowing herself to show her weakness and emotions to Ahria for fear of rejection hits close to home (not that I have been in that exact situation with a dragon but close enough) I should refer her to my psychologist. Third of all loved the new characters that were introduced, Reya who acts cold but I believe she is just pretending and deep inside she is the most loyal friend once she opens up to you. Neeve was adorable and I felt a strong need to protect her because honestly her fiancé seems way to controlling and not in a hot way. Fourth and last I was horrified when I started reading and I saw there were both chapters from Lyra and Talens perspective and I thought shit I’m not going to be able to finish this dual and multiple POV is just not for me. But I was pleasantly surprised when I found out 98% of the book was from Lyras perspective and the remaining 2% were not as confusing as I feared and I actually quite liked the little look into Talens mind and it was just the right amount. Now before my review turns into its own novell here is what you get- 🖤Magic 🖤Dragons 🖤Enemies to Lovers 🖤Found Family 🖤Guilt 🖤Deadly bonding ritual If any of these catches your attention I suggest you go and get this book right now!
Oaths of Ruin: Volume I by Becky J. Fox has taken me back into the intricate, magical world established in Veins of Power, picking up the "threads" left behind by that shocking cliffhanger.
Being able to dive into this story early as a beta reader has been a privilege, though this return to the Fifth Realm Saga comes with a noticeably different pace.
The opening of Volume I feels considerably slower and more deliberate. While this quiet start might test your patience if you're expecting the immediate, high-stakes adrenaline of book one, it feels like a necessary recalibration.
This book takes time laying essential groundwork, using the early chapters to unpack the unanswered questions and lingering some of the fallout left in Veins of Power. In many ways, it feels as though the author is systematically rebuilding and expanding the universe, laying down new structural foundations for the world-building to support what is clearly a much larger story.
Because of this measured setup, the rhythm of the story makes it harder to stay completely hooked early on. The pulse-pounding tension and addictive slow-burn chemistry are dialed back here, along with a noticeable reduction in spice.
The relationship dynamics between Lyra and Talen feel largely on hold, lingering in a state of pause rather than evolving into the next stage of their arc. Furthermore, some of Lyra’s interactions and reactions regarding new characters feel slightly disconnected from the growth and emotional instincts she demonstrated in book one, making her journey in this volume feel a bit less cohesive.
However, when Lyra encounters Reya, the narrative finds its spark and the story suddenly becomes genuinely EXCITING. From that point forward, the magic hums with the familiar life and intrigue that made book one so unforgettable.
I am eagerly awaiting Volume II to see how Fox brings all these newly built layers together and unchains the remaining mysteries lingering in the shadows.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Veins of Power left me salivating for more, and Oaths of Ruin Vol 1 absolutely kept me fed. We jump straight in where we left off, with Lyra coming to terms with loss, betrayal and a shift to her worldview. Vol 1 definitely focused on expanding the world and fantasy lore, with the romance serving as more of a subplot. As much as I missed Talen and steamy sexy times it felt necessary for us as the reader to go on that journey of understanding with Lyra. I especially loved getting to know more about the dragon bonds and culture; this is one of the most unique takes I've seen on the dragons/dragon riders trope. And don't fret lovers of romance and spice - what steamy scenes we do get are absolutely worth the wait 🥵
We are primarily in Lyra's POV, but the additional POV chapters are so well placed for both character development and keeping the overall story pace and energy flowing. While Oaths of Ruin Vol 1 is definitely slower paced versus Veins of Power I feel like it's the right pace for such a lore rich volume. And I suspect we the readers will be thankful for the breather ahead of diving into Vol 2, especially if that ending is any indication! Speaking of that ending, BECKY! Why do you do this to us girl 🤯 mind blown, tears cried, Becky doesn't pull any punches but we still love her for it. If you were a fan of Veins of Power, Oaths of Ruin is going be a no-brainer addition to the TBR. Still need to read both? This series is perfect for fans of Fourth Wing who go feral for
🔪Enemies-to-lovers 💕 Found family 🗝️ Secrets ⚔️ High stakes 🐦🔥 Bonded Dragons 🩶 Morally grey hero ❤️🩹 Past trauma ✨ Unique magic 💪 A man who yearns
Thank you so much to Becky for having me as an Alpha reader, it's been amazing following the journey of this story chapter by chapter!
Book: Oaths of Ruin Vol 1 Series: Threads of the Fifth Realm (#2 part 1) Genre: Fantasy Romance Rating: 5⭐
5/5 Relationships 5/5 Characters 5/5 Plot 3🌶
*:✿˚⋆ SPOILER FREE REVIEW RECAP *:✿˚⋆
Becky can do no wrong. Veins of Power is one of my all-time favourite books and has earned a permanent spot in my personal Hall of Fame and Oaths of Ruin is well on its way to joining it.
Volume One gives readers the perfect dose of yearning and angst without letting the romance overshadow the overall plot. The story is told primarily through Lyra’s POV, but the Talen chapters sprinkled throughout add incredible depth, offering a much clearer understanding of his motivations and decisions. This first volume of Oaths of Ruin answers many of the lingering questions from Veins of Power while still leaving enough mysteries unresolved to keep you eagerly awaiting the next chapter.
The returning characters continue to grow in meaningful ways, but it was the new additions to the cast that truly stole the show for me. Becky introduces them seamlessly, and each one feels like they have an important role to play. I also really appreciated the LGBTQ+ representation. It felt completely natural and thoughtfully woven into the story, rather than existing solely for the sake of inclusivity. Every character felt authentic and essential to the narrative.
I don’t want to spoil anything when it comes to the relationships, but let’s just say… the slow burn was burning, and the butterflies were definitely fluttering.
I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to beta read this volume, and I cannot wait for Mother Becky to keep feeding us chapters as the story unfolds.
I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart to the author for allowing me the absolute privilege of being able to chapter read and Beta read this book. I truly appreciate it!
I thought the first book was so powerful, but this one truly takes the cake for that title but not in the way you might think. Finding power in your grief and your emotions is what you will find inside these pages. After the events of the previous novel, we find ourselves outside of the eyes of the Citadel in a whole new way, but trust me their clutches can and will sink a lot deeper than you ever imagined and will ever expect. The world Lyra is apart of has expanding so vividly yet again, but the new added found family members she aquires will leave you wishing they could be yours too well also maybe breaking your hearts as well. The story flows well just like the previous book and you will definitely be left with more questions than answers, but this story is so much more than the romance, and so much than the questions and intrigue, this story is an unexpected love letter to the darkest parts of ourselves. It's a recognition of what we feel are our failures, of our losses, of our grief, and the desire we all possess to be loved and accepted wholeheartedly for not just the lightess parts of ourselves but the darkest too and to never be let go of despite that darkness.
Thank you so very much again to the author for the absolute privilege of being able to read this book. I truly appreciate it.
Book 2, Volume I of the Threads of the Fifth Realm Trilogy
Picking up immediately after Veins of Power, Lyra’s world continues to spiral as everything she believed about dragons, the Citadel, and threads is turned up side down. Sent to the Northern Peaks to die, she discovers hidden truths, more found family, and a threat that could destroy everything.
While I continue to enjoy the characters and the overall storyline, this book didn’t quite capture my attention the same as the first. The story felt rushed, with several plot points and relationships moving full steam rather quickly. There were times where I found myself wanting more of everything, rather than simply being told they had happened.
The thread magic system remains one of the strongest parts of the series, and I enjoyed learning a little more about its origins and the growing divide within the realm. The dragons also play a much larger role this time around, which I loved, but once again, I was left craving more. I also struggled with some of the pacing, duplicate descriptions, and timeline transitions.
Even with those frustrations, I was still invested, and I need to know what happens. And once again, the author saves some of the biggest reveals for the final stretch before leaving readers with a major cliffhanger.
Overall, if you enjoyed Fourth Wing, you’ll likely appreciate the blend of dragons, enemies-to-lovers, adventure, and found family.