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What the Wound Wakes #1
Blood Names Her
She enters the Citadel to become a soldier.
The blood knows better.
In the Archives, a quiet life waits for Lyra Veynmar: clean hands, silent halls, and a place where every sharp edge in her can be filed away, contained, and forgotten.
Instead, she chooses Flint—the lowest rank within Davraeth’s Citadel. Behind its walls, obedience is survival. Recruits are shaped by discipline and fear until even instinct learns to wait for command. Lyra has never been good at waiting; her body moves before orders, and her temper burns before caution.
Assigned to Aeron Halvik, an Obsidian captain built from restraint and cold control, Lyra is forced to confront the flaws she cannot master. He should be nothing more than command and consequence, but each order cuts deeper than it should, and every silence begins to feel like a choice. He sees too much, demands too much, and stands far too close to the dangerous fracture opening inside her.
The harder the Citadel tries to shape Lyra into a soldier, the more the buried thing beneath her skin begins to wake. Ancient stones seem to recognize her. Dreams open where they should not. And in the dark, a stranger waits as if he has been expecting her, his voice carrying the first whisper of something older than the Citadel itself.
What stirs within Lyra does not feel like a gift. It feels like a wound. And once it opens, everything around her begins to demand a price. Power. Loyalty. Truth. Even love.
Blood Names Her is an adult dark fantasy romance about brutal training, forbidden power, slow-burn romance, enemies-to-lovers tension, dangerous secrets, and old prophecy. It begins the WHAT THE WOUND WAKES trilogy, a story of power, devotion, and the cost of becoming what the world was taught to fear.
The blood knows better.
In the Archives, a quiet life waits for Lyra Veynmar: clean hands, silent halls, and a place where every sharp edge in her can be filed away, contained, and forgotten.
Instead, she chooses Flint—the lowest rank within Davraeth’s Citadel. Behind its walls, obedience is survival. Recruits are shaped by discipline and fear until even instinct learns to wait for command. Lyra has never been good at waiting; her body moves before orders, and her temper burns before caution.
Assigned to Aeron Halvik, an Obsidian captain built from restraint and cold control, Lyra is forced to confront the flaws she cannot master. He should be nothing more than command and consequence, but each order cuts deeper than it should, and every silence begins to feel like a choice. He sees too much, demands too much, and stands far too close to the dangerous fracture opening inside her.
The harder the Citadel tries to shape Lyra into a soldier, the more the buried thing beneath her skin begins to wake. Ancient stones seem to recognize her. Dreams open where they should not. And in the dark, a stranger waits as if he has been expecting her, his voice carrying the first whisper of something older than the Citadel itself.
What stirs within Lyra does not feel like a gift. It feels like a wound. And once it opens, everything around her begins to demand a price. Power. Loyalty. Truth. Even love.
Blood Names Her is an adult dark fantasy romance about brutal training, forbidden power, slow-burn romance, enemies-to-lovers tension, dangerous secrets, and old prophecy. It begins the WHAT THE WOUND WAKES trilogy, a story of power, devotion, and the cost of becoming what the world was taught to fear.
485 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 3, 2026
About the author
Daria Tince
1 book2 followersDaria Tince writes adult dark fantasy romance about impossible choices, dangerous devotion, and people who keep walking long after the world tells them to stop.
She is drawn to stories where love has teeth, power comes at a cost, and becoming who you are always leaves a mark.
She is drawn to stories where love has teeth, power comes at a cost, and becoming who you are always leaves a mark.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
August 17, 2026
If I were to assign a vibe to this book, it would be an indie film that doesn't have a soundtrack during conversations or interior scenes. Don't mistake that for blandness, please. Because this book isn't bland. It moves a bit slower because it feels like a lot of conversations and moments have long pauses or silence (in fact, there are several moments when silence is emphasized).
If you are someone who needs everything explained to them, this book is not for you. Because there are events where a character experiences something and it is not blatantly explained that the other character experiences the same exact moment in detail. It is implied and, based on context clues, you should be able to put it together without being shown the other side of it. So trust the process and trust yourself. Because if you need to be shown and told everything, you won't enjoy this book. And trust me: more books show and tell more than you think. Sometimes the happenings and phrases feel a bit vague but, again: think it through for a moment before proceeding.
Speaking of thinking something through before proceeding: let's talk about our FMC. Lyra is a young woman who has basically been failed by some of the most important people in her life, and she has a short temper and a body that acts before her mind. Usually a bad temper and impulsiveness are sold to us as a "snarky" FMC but they're secretly a bitch. Lyra, however, isn't like this. She is fully aware of her temperament and inability to follow orders that she doesn't agree with. And a lot of the book is her fighting against those impulses and facing consequences when she doesn't win the fight. But I also think she is reconciling when being told to do something won't align with what is right, and distinguishing between the two is going to make her a great character. I look forward to her overcoming the rage and grief and growing into the person I know she can be. I really love a flawed FMC, and I wish readers would be more patient with someone like Lyra who clearly just needs some time and growing up. Usually "trauma" is used as an excuse for flaws, but Lyra's past hurts and current struggles are so understandable and so human that I really felt that hurt secondhand. The way she dealt with the typical "bully" side character ended up being really poignant and mature. I loved that change, because I'm so sick of the Jack Barlowes of the world being almost comical.
Side characters: I actually enjoyed Draven a lot. He didn't need to be an imposing presence that a lot of side characters are with loud senses of humor and heavy personalities. I think his silent presence and ability to read Lyra like a book made him a more powerful presence, and I hope to see him more. I especially enjoyed his values and how they worked within the story.
Now some feedback: I wanted to see more relationship growth between Lyra and Aeron. I felt like they only shared a few moments together and didn't develop strong chemistry. I did, however, like their separate characters and I found the conversations about following orders vs. saving someone you love to be enlightening and interesting.
But all things said, I'm interested to see where this is going. I loved the conversations about warfare to be really interesting, and they were more than just a surface-level analysis of humanizing the enemy or the impact of war. I highlighted a lot of it and spent time thinking about it between chapters.
If you are someone who needs everything explained to them, this book is not for you. Because there are events where a character experiences something and it is not blatantly explained that the other character experiences the same exact moment in detail. It is implied and, based on context clues, you should be able to put it together without being shown the other side of it. So trust the process and trust yourself. Because if you need to be shown and told everything, you won't enjoy this book. And trust me: more books show and tell more than you think. Sometimes the happenings and phrases feel a bit vague but, again: think it through for a moment before proceeding.
Speaking of thinking something through before proceeding: let's talk about our FMC. Lyra is a young woman who has basically been failed by some of the most important people in her life, and she has a short temper and a body that acts before her mind. Usually a bad temper and impulsiveness are sold to us as a "snarky" FMC but they're secretly a bitch. Lyra, however, isn't like this. She is fully aware of her temperament and inability to follow orders that she doesn't agree with. And a lot of the book is her fighting against those impulses and facing consequences when she doesn't win the fight. But I also think she is reconciling when being told to do something won't align with what is right, and distinguishing between the two is going to make her a great character. I look forward to her overcoming the rage and grief and growing into the person I know she can be. I really love a flawed FMC, and I wish readers would be more patient with someone like Lyra who clearly just needs some time and growing up. Usually "trauma" is used as an excuse for flaws, but Lyra's past hurts and current struggles are so understandable and so human that I really felt that hurt secondhand. The way she dealt with the typical "bully" side character ended up being really poignant and mature. I loved that change, because I'm so sick of the Jack Barlowes of the world being almost comical.
Side characters: I actually enjoyed Draven a lot. He didn't need to be an imposing presence that a lot of side characters are with loud senses of humor and heavy personalities. I think his silent presence and ability to read Lyra like a book made him a more powerful presence, and I hope to see him more. I especially enjoyed his values and how they worked within the story.
Now some feedback: I wanted to see more relationship growth between Lyra and Aeron. I felt like they only shared a few moments together and didn't develop strong chemistry. I did, however, like their separate characters and I found the conversations about following orders vs. saving someone you love to be enlightening and interesting.
But all things said, I'm interested to see where this is going. I loved the conversations about warfare to be really interesting, and they were more than just a surface-level analysis of humanizing the enemy or the impact of war. I highlighted a lot of it and spent time thinking about it between chapters.
July 18, 2026
Blood Names Her impressed me from the start with how original and carefully constructed the premise feels.
Lyra Veynmar has grown up in a world shaped by the Fall, when four bodies fell from the sky and struck different corners of the old world. The civilisation that existed before was far more advanced, and its people attempted to prevent the disaster by breaking the bodies into smaller pieces. Those fragments went on to affect certain bloodlines, creating the Marwrought.
Lyra has been raised to believe that the Marwrought are no longer human and must be destroyed. However, they are not presented as one uniform race or as straightforward villains. They take many different forms, and the novel gradually complicates everything Lyra has been taught about them. I especially enjoyed this aspect of the story.
Lyra herself is likeable and easy to sympathise with. Her relationship with her mother is strained, and her father apparently died at the hands of the Marwrought. She has spent much of her life feeling unwanted, but she shows considerable promise during her compulsory military training, even if archery is not one of her strengths. After receiving a flint token, she is selected to continue her training within the Citadel, where the soldiers are divided into ranks such as Flint, Ash, Iron and Obsidian.
At the same time, Lyra begins to feel a strange hum pulling her towards the Marrowlith, an obsidian-like stone through which she connects with Cassius, a Marwrought searching for the person or object connected to an old prophecy. He also appears in her dreams, but everything Lyra has been taught urges her to resist and fight him.
During her training, she also grows close to Aeron Halvik, her captain. The romantic conflict developing between Aeron and Cassius is well handled, although my own preference leans firmly towards Cassius. The enemies-to-lovers tension is strong, and the inclusion of chapters from Cassius's point of view makes that relationship even more compelling.
The world, the central conflict and Lyra's role within it all feel clever and well thought out. The Marwrought have a dark appeal that reminded me slightly of Anne Rice's characters, even though they are not vampires. Combined with the military training and romantic tension, the novel feels like Fourth Wing crossed with a darker, more gothic fantasy- with shades of ACOTAR as well.
The ending is a real strength. It is climactic and left my emotions in chaos: anger, sadness, fear and relief all at once.
There are areas that could still be strengthened. Some of the characters would benefit from more distinctive personalities and individual dialogue patterns, as several voices can sound similar. There are also a large number of training sequences, and certain phrases and sentence structures are repeated often enough to become noticeable. A tighter edit for pacing would give the story more momentum and allow its strongest ideas to stand out.
Despite those issues, this is a five-star book for originality. The premise is unusual, the Marwrought are far more complex than the monsters Lyra was taught to expect, and the ending confirms that the author knows exactly where this story is going. I am invested in discovering the full truth about Cassius, the prophecy and Lyra herself.
Lyra Veynmar has grown up in a world shaped by the Fall, when four bodies fell from the sky and struck different corners of the old world. The civilisation that existed before was far more advanced, and its people attempted to prevent the disaster by breaking the bodies into smaller pieces. Those fragments went on to affect certain bloodlines, creating the Marwrought.
Lyra has been raised to believe that the Marwrought are no longer human and must be destroyed. However, they are not presented as one uniform race or as straightforward villains. They take many different forms, and the novel gradually complicates everything Lyra has been taught about them. I especially enjoyed this aspect of the story.
Lyra herself is likeable and easy to sympathise with. Her relationship with her mother is strained, and her father apparently died at the hands of the Marwrought. She has spent much of her life feeling unwanted, but she shows considerable promise during her compulsory military training, even if archery is not one of her strengths. After receiving a flint token, she is selected to continue her training within the Citadel, where the soldiers are divided into ranks such as Flint, Ash, Iron and Obsidian.
At the same time, Lyra begins to feel a strange hum pulling her towards the Marrowlith, an obsidian-like stone through which she connects with Cassius, a Marwrought searching for the person or object connected to an old prophecy. He also appears in her dreams, but everything Lyra has been taught urges her to resist and fight him.
During her training, she also grows close to Aeron Halvik, her captain. The romantic conflict developing between Aeron and Cassius is well handled, although my own preference leans firmly towards Cassius. The enemies-to-lovers tension is strong, and the inclusion of chapters from Cassius's point of view makes that relationship even more compelling.
The world, the central conflict and Lyra's role within it all feel clever and well thought out. The Marwrought have a dark appeal that reminded me slightly of Anne Rice's characters, even though they are not vampires. Combined with the military training and romantic tension, the novel feels like Fourth Wing crossed with a darker, more gothic fantasy- with shades of ACOTAR as well.
The ending is a real strength. It is climactic and left my emotions in chaos: anger, sadness, fear and relief all at once.
There are areas that could still be strengthened. Some of the characters would benefit from more distinctive personalities and individual dialogue patterns, as several voices can sound similar. There are also a large number of training sequences, and certain phrases and sentence structures are repeated often enough to become noticeable. A tighter edit for pacing would give the story more momentum and allow its strongest ideas to stand out.
Despite those issues, this is a five-star book for originality. The premise is unusual, the Marwrought are far more complex than the monsters Lyra was taught to expect, and the ending confirms that the author knows exactly where this story is going. I am invested in discovering the full truth about Cassius, the prophecy and Lyra herself.
September 6, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
Daria Tince actually reached out to me after seeing one of my ARC reviews in a book group and asked if I would give Blood Names Her a try. The book was already available on Kindle Unlimited, but I’m always happy to give an indie/new-to-me author a chance, so I said yes. Life got in the way for a bit, but once I finally picked this up, I was glad I did.
I will say this up front: this is a slow book. Not necessarily a bad thing, but you have to be willing to settle in and let the story unfold. There are A LOT of things you don't understand at first, and the author doesn't immediately hand you all the answers. Instead, you're slowly piecing together what is happening, who can be trusted, and what Lyra's connection to everything really means.
And I actually really enjoyed that part.
The world-building was probably my favorite element. The Citadel, the history surrounding the Marwrought, the strange mythology, the prophecy, and Lyra's connection to something she doesn't yet understand all kept me curious. There were definitely moments when the day-to-day training and descriptions felt a little draggy, but by the end I understood why so much of that groundwork was there.
Lyra was also an interesting FMC. She's angry, impulsive, and far from perfect, but her behavior makes sense once you understand what shaped her. I liked watching her certainty about the world begin to crack as she discovered that maybe everything she'd been taught wasn't quite as simple as she'd thought.
The romance is a VERY slow burn. There is tension, but this is definitely more about anticipation and mystery than a romance that takes center stage. I wanted more interaction between Lyra and the love interests, but I think there's a lot of potential there for the rest of the trilogy.
And then we get to that ending.
I am usually VERY cautious about starting unfinished series. George R.R. Martin has ruined that for me. 😂 I don't like getting invested in a story when I have no idea when I'm going to get the answers.
And yet… here I am.
Because now I NEED those answers.
The ending pulled together enough pieces to make me realize just how much was being set up throughout the book, while simultaneously leaving me with approximately a million questions. I closed the book thinking, "Okay… I guess I'm waiting for book two now."
Overall, this was an intriguing and ambitious start to a new fantasy series. It isn't a fast-paced romantasy, and I wouldn't pick it up expecting Fourth Wing-level pacing or constant romance. But if you enjoy slow-burn dark fantasy, detailed world-building, mystery, hidden powers, prophecy, and the slow uncovering of what the hell is actually going on, this is worth a chance.
And despite my usual unfinished-series rule…
I cannot wait for the next book.🖤
Tropes/What to Expect:
🖤 Dark fantasy
⚔️ Brutal training
🐉 Hidden powers
🔮 Prophecy
🔥 Slow-burn romance
⚡ Enemies-to-lovers tension
🗝️ Dangerous secrets
🏰 Academy/Citadel setting
Daria Tince actually reached out to me after seeing one of my ARC reviews in a book group and asked if I would give Blood Names Her a try. The book was already available on Kindle Unlimited, but I’m always happy to give an indie/new-to-me author a chance, so I said yes. Life got in the way for a bit, but once I finally picked this up, I was glad I did.
I will say this up front: this is a slow book. Not necessarily a bad thing, but you have to be willing to settle in and let the story unfold. There are A LOT of things you don't understand at first, and the author doesn't immediately hand you all the answers. Instead, you're slowly piecing together what is happening, who can be trusted, and what Lyra's connection to everything really means.
And I actually really enjoyed that part.
The world-building was probably my favorite element. The Citadel, the history surrounding the Marwrought, the strange mythology, the prophecy, and Lyra's connection to something she doesn't yet understand all kept me curious. There were definitely moments when the day-to-day training and descriptions felt a little draggy, but by the end I understood why so much of that groundwork was there.
Lyra was also an interesting FMC. She's angry, impulsive, and far from perfect, but her behavior makes sense once you understand what shaped her. I liked watching her certainty about the world begin to crack as she discovered that maybe everything she'd been taught wasn't quite as simple as she'd thought.
The romance is a VERY slow burn. There is tension, but this is definitely more about anticipation and mystery than a romance that takes center stage. I wanted more interaction between Lyra and the love interests, but I think there's a lot of potential there for the rest of the trilogy.
And then we get to that ending.
I am usually VERY cautious about starting unfinished series. George R.R. Martin has ruined that for me. 😂 I don't like getting invested in a story when I have no idea when I'm going to get the answers.
And yet… here I am.
Because now I NEED those answers.
The ending pulled together enough pieces to make me realize just how much was being set up throughout the book, while simultaneously leaving me with approximately a million questions. I closed the book thinking, "Okay… I guess I'm waiting for book two now."
Overall, this was an intriguing and ambitious start to a new fantasy series. It isn't a fast-paced romantasy, and I wouldn't pick it up expecting Fourth Wing-level pacing or constant romance. But if you enjoy slow-burn dark fantasy, detailed world-building, mystery, hidden powers, prophecy, and the slow uncovering of what the hell is actually going on, this is worth a chance.
And despite my usual unfinished-series rule…
I cannot wait for the next book.🖤
Tropes/What to Expect:
🖤 Dark fantasy
⚔️ Brutal training
🐉 Hidden powers
🔮 Prophecy
🔥 Slow-burn romance
⚡ Enemies-to-lovers tension
🗝️ Dangerous secrets
🏰 Academy/Citadel setting
August 21, 2026
THE REVIEW
This was a powerful and compelling dark fantasy romance novel. Right out of the gate, the world-building the author brought into the narrative was astonishing, as were the citadel and everything tied to the prophecy's unique mythos. The main character felt fully realized and fleshed out through the author's unique, immersive writing style. The slow pacing helped the world-building take hold in readers' minds and let the complex relationships and antagonistic actions the protagonist faced hit readers emotionally.
The heart and foundation of this novel really was in the story development and character dynamics. The mythos was intriguing, and the protagonist's connection to this prophecy and ancient power was something readers could really invest in. The trauma and heartbreak of the protagonist's background, and how it shaped her anger and impulsiveness, gave readers a better understanding of where she was coming from and let them connect with her on a deeper level.
THE VERDICT
A memorable, engaging, and thoughtfully written dark fantasy romance novel, Author Daria Tince’s “Blood Names Her” is a fantastic novel and a great entry into the What the Wound Wakes trilogy. The shocking twists and turns that the narrative takes, including the revelation of what the prophecy spoke of and the emotional weight of not only the bonds the main character formed, but the enemies-to-lovers romance angle, will not only get readers invested in the story, but also emotionally attached to the protagonist's journey through this incredibly well-developed world the author has brought to life on the page.
This was a powerful and compelling dark fantasy romance novel. Right out of the gate, the world-building the author brought into the narrative was astonishing, as were the citadel and everything tied to the prophecy's unique mythos. The main character felt fully realized and fleshed out through the author's unique, immersive writing style. The slow pacing helped the world-building take hold in readers' minds and let the complex relationships and antagonistic actions the protagonist faced hit readers emotionally.
The heart and foundation of this novel really was in the story development and character dynamics. The mythos was intriguing, and the protagonist's connection to this prophecy and ancient power was something readers could really invest in. The trauma and heartbreak of the protagonist's background, and how it shaped her anger and impulsiveness, gave readers a better understanding of where she was coming from and let them connect with her on a deeper level.
THE VERDICT
A memorable, engaging, and thoughtfully written dark fantasy romance novel, Author Daria Tince’s “Blood Names Her” is a fantastic novel and a great entry into the What the Wound Wakes trilogy. The shocking twists and turns that the narrative takes, including the revelation of what the prophecy spoke of and the emotional weight of not only the bonds the main character formed, but the enemies-to-lovers romance angle, will not only get readers invested in the story, but also emotionally attached to the protagonist's journey through this incredibly well-developed world the author has brought to life on the page.
August 30, 2026
I really enjoyed this one, especially the world building and the way we slowly get to understand Lyra and why she chooses the much harder path of joining Flint rather than taking the quiet life waiting for her in the Archives.
I really liked the fractured family relationships and how much they influenced Lyra and the choices she makes. Her decision to enter the Citadel isn't just about wanting to prove herself, there is so much more behind it, and I enjoyed uncovering those pieces as the story went on.
Lyra herself is stubborn, impulsive and definitely not great at waiting for orders, which makes her life in the Citadel interesting 😂 Especially when she is assigned to Aeron, who is basically the complete opposite. He is controlled, disciplined and expects her to actually listen, while Lyra's instincts tend to kick in well before anyone has finished telling her what to do.
Then there is all the crazy stuff happening to her. The nightmares, the strange things she is experiencing and especially her meetings with the mysterious stranger in her dreams had me wondering what the hell was actually going on and how it all connected.
I also really enjoyed how the world and its history weren't dumped on us all at once. There are clearly much bigger things happening around Lyra, and possibly within her, and we are discovering them alongside her.
Between the world building, complicated family relationships, the Citadel, Aeron, Lyra's increasingly concerning dreams and one very mysterious stranger, there was plenty to keep me interested.
Definitely curious to see where this story goes next
I really liked the fractured family relationships and how much they influenced Lyra and the choices she makes. Her decision to enter the Citadel isn't just about wanting to prove herself, there is so much more behind it, and I enjoyed uncovering those pieces as the story went on.
Lyra herself is stubborn, impulsive and definitely not great at waiting for orders, which makes her life in the Citadel interesting 😂 Especially when she is assigned to Aeron, who is basically the complete opposite. He is controlled, disciplined and expects her to actually listen, while Lyra's instincts tend to kick in well before anyone has finished telling her what to do.
Then there is all the crazy stuff happening to her. The nightmares, the strange things she is experiencing and especially her meetings with the mysterious stranger in her dreams had me wondering what the hell was actually going on and how it all connected.
I also really enjoyed how the world and its history weren't dumped on us all at once. There are clearly much bigger things happening around Lyra, and possibly within her, and we are discovering them alongside her.
Between the world building, complicated family relationships, the Citadel, Aeron, Lyra's increasingly concerning dreams and one very mysterious stranger, there was plenty to keep me interested.
Definitely curious to see where this story goes next
August 25, 2026
Another amazing read! This was a dark fantasy romance that absolutely delivered all it promised.
I loved the characters and how all of them seemed so self aware and still wanted to grow.
The narrative was so interesting, and it was unlike anything I’ve read. The slow burn was perfectly paced for the characters, but I do wish there had been more on their chemistry as their time together was brief when compared to the rest of the plot.
The world building was absolutely phenomenal, and really made you feel like you were there. There were some parts of the story that seemed like it moved slow/the day to day dragged. BUT this was absolutely necessary to the story in my opinion since you got to learn about the citadel’s history with the marwroughts alongside the flint trainees.
Overall would absolutely recommend, however, the next two books are not out yet and this definitely ends on a cliffhanger! I absolutely cannot wait for the next book!
I loved the characters and how all of them seemed so self aware and still wanted to grow.
The narrative was so interesting, and it was unlike anything I’ve read. The slow burn was perfectly paced for the characters, but I do wish there had been more on their chemistry as their time together was brief when compared to the rest of the plot.
The world building was absolutely phenomenal, and really made you feel like you were there. There were some parts of the story that seemed like it moved slow/the day to day dragged. BUT this was absolutely necessary to the story in my opinion since you got to learn about the citadel’s history with the marwroughts alongside the flint trainees.
Overall would absolutely recommend, however, the next two books are not out yet and this definitely ends on a cliffhanger! I absolutely cannot wait for the next book!
September 26, 2026
WOW. Just wow!
I absolutely loved this book. From the very first page, I was completely drawn into this world and I couldn’t put it down. It had me hooked right through to the very
last page.
We follow Lyra, as she makes her way through her brutal training under Captain Aeron Halvik. Not only must she learn the skills to keep her alive, she battles with an unknown presence and fellow recruits that are trying to hurt her.
Everything about this book is why I love reading. The story, the characters, the emotion, the twists, the moments that make you gasp all of it that make you keep turning the page.
This is a must read for anyone who loves slow-burn romance, forbidden power and high emotional stakes.
Daria, thank you for this story, I loved every minute reading it.
I absolutely loved this book. From the very first page, I was completely drawn into this world and I couldn’t put it down. It had me hooked right through to the very
last page.
We follow Lyra, as she makes her way through her brutal training under Captain Aeron Halvik. Not only must she learn the skills to keep her alive, she battles with an unknown presence and fellow recruits that are trying to hurt her.
Everything about this book is why I love reading. The story, the characters, the emotion, the twists, the moments that make you gasp all of it that make you keep turning the page.
This is a must read for anyone who loves slow-burn romance, forbidden power and high emotional stakes.
Daria, thank you for this story, I loved every minute reading it.
September 26, 2026
I am devastated by this ending and I need book two immediately. The amount of tears that were shed in the last few chapters needed half a tissue box. I wish I could do half stars. This for me was a 4.5. The beginning of the book did drag a little for me but once Cassius came in it picked up. Lyra and Aeron's relationship was complex but beautiful. Lyra has such a fighting spirit and I hope that doesn't go away in the next book.
September 10, 2026
After Daria Tince messaged me on Insta and recommended the book based on my current likes, I decided to pick it up... and I was hooked from page one.
The story revolves around Lyra, who is training for something. But what? We're given a very vague hint right at the beginning of the book, but nothing more. As I read, I found myself shouting, 'Give me some context here, a hint as to what this great evil is that everyone is terrified of, and what they're training for.
I really enjoyed the world-building, especially around Lyra, her days and nights at the training school, the friendships she made, and her struggles to control the wrongness living inside her. But I kept coming back to the same question - what is evil? How is she connected to it?
This was a fantastic read that kept me hooked, and even now, hours after finishing it, I still have so many questions...
The story revolves around Lyra, who is training for something. But what? We're given a very vague hint right at the beginning of the book, but nothing more. As I read, I found myself shouting, 'Give me some context here, a hint as to what this great evil is that everyone is terrified of, and what they're training for.
I really enjoyed the world-building, especially around Lyra, her days and nights at the training school, the friendships she made, and her struggles to control the wrongness living inside her. But I kept coming back to the same question - what is evil? How is she connected to it?
This was a fantastic read that kept me hooked, and even now, hours after finishing it, I still have so many questions...
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews