A Throne of Fire

by Bella Forrest

The heart-pounding PENULTIMATE BOOK in "Season 5" as we move toward the grand finale in Book 41...

Return to the lives of the Novaks - Pre-order now!

Genres: Vampires, Paranormal Romance, Fantasy, Paranormal, Young Adult, Fiction, Fae

338 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 19, 2017

About the author

UPDATE MARCH 11, 2024:

BELLA IS BACK!

*** New, updated online store at https://BellaForrest.com

*** New books coming soon

*** Possible Film/TV series coming soon

*** Stay up to date by joining our e-mail list at https://BellaForrest.com/join

###

Bella Forrest is a lover of fantasy, romance, action, and mystery infused stories with twists you don’t see coming. She has sold over fifteen million books since her first novel was published in 2012.

Check out her website for a full list of her books: https://BellaForrest.com

Official Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/BellaForrest...

Here's a list of some of Bella's books:

DARKLIGHT

Darklight (Book 1)
Darkthirst (Book 2)
Darkworld (Book 3)
Darkblood (Book 4)
Darktide (Book 5)
Darkbirth (Book 6)
Darkfall (Book 7)
Darkwilds (Book 8)
Darkhunt (Book 9)

A LOVE THAT ENDURES (Trilogy)
A Love that Endures 1
A Love that Endures 2
A Love that Endures 3

HARLEY MERLIN AND THE SECRET COVEN

Harley Merlin and the Secret Coven (Book 1)
Harley Merlin and the Mystery Twins (Book 2)
Harley Merlin and the Stolen Magicals (Book 3)
Harley Merlin and the First Ritual (Book 4)
Harley Merlin and the Broken Spell (Book 5)
Harley Merlin and the Cult of Eris (Book 6)
Harley Merlin and the Detector Fix (Book 7)
Harley Merlin and the Challenge of Chaos (Book 8)
Harley Merlin and the Mortal Pact (Book 9)
Finch Merlin and the Fount of Youth (Book 10)
Finch Merlin and the Lost Map (Book 11)
Finch Merlin and the Djinn's Curse (Book 12)
Finch Merlin and the Locked Gateway (Book 13)
Finch Merlin and the Forgotten Kingdom (Book 14)
Finch Merlin and the Everlasting Vow (Book 15)
Finch Merlin and the Blood Tie (Book 16)
Finch Merlin and the Legend of the Luminary
Persie Merlin and Leviathan's Gift (Book 18)
Persie Merlin and the Door to Nowhere (Book 19)
Persie Merlin and the Witch Hunters (Book 20)
Persie Merlin and the Dying Song (Book 21)

THE CHILD THIEF

The Child Thief (Book 1)
Deep Shadows (Book 2)
Thin Lines (Book 3)
Little Lies (Book 4)
Ghost Towns (Book 5)
Zero Hour (Book 6)

HOTBLOODS

Hotbloods (Book 1)
Hotbloods (Book 2): Coldbloods
Hotbloods (Book 3): Renegades
Hotbloods (Book 4): Venturers
Hotbloods (Book 5): Traitors
Hotbloods (Book 6): Allies
Hotbloods (Book 7): Invaders
Hotbloods (Book 8): Stargazers

THE GENDER GAME

The Gender Game (Book 1)
The Gender Secret (Book 2)
The Gender Lie (Book 3)
The Gender War (Book 4)
The Gender Fall (Book 5)
The Gender Plan (Book 6)
The Gender End (Book 7)

THE GIRL WHO DARED TO THINK

The Girl Who Dared to Think (Book 1)
The Girl Who Dared to Stand (Book 2)
The Girl Who Dared to Descend (Book 3)
The Girl Who Dared to Rise (Book 4)
The Girl Who Dared to Lead (Book 5)
The Girl Who Dared to Endure (Book 6
The Girl Who Dared to Fight (Book 7)

A SHADE OF VAMPIRE

Season 1: Derek & Sofia’s story

Books 1 to 7

Season 2: Rose & Caleb’s story

Books 8 to 16

Season 3: The Shade continues with a new hero...

Books 17 to 24

Season 4: A Clan of Novaks

Books 25 to 32

Season 5: A Dawn of Guardians

Books 33 to 41

Season 6: A Gift of Three

Books 42 to 50

Season 7: A Call of Vampires

Books 51 to 59

Season 8: A Voyage of Founders

Books 60 to 68

Season 9: A Birth of Fire

Books 69 to 77

Season 10: An Origin of Vampires
An Origin of Vampires (Book 78)
A Game of Death (Book 79)
A Veil of Dark (Book 80)
A Bringer of Night (Book 81)
A Circle of Nine (Book 82)
A Bender of Spirit (Book 83)
A Memory of Time (Book 84)
A Shard of Soul (Book 85)
A Break of Seals (Book 86)

Season 11: A Shade of Mystery
A Shade of Mystery (Book 87)
An Isle of Mirrors (Book 88)
A Sanctuary of Foes (Book 89)
A Ruler of Clones (Book 90)
A Gate of Light (Book 91)
A Dawn of Worlds (Book 92) ➜ Coming soon!

Reviews

[Mikayla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Much better!!!

Giving this one 5 stars for sure. People I like from the shade that I've missed are well and truly back. Loved this one a lot more than some in series 5. Keep this up Bella and it'll be the same quality and the previous stuff.

[Judy Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

ABSOLUTELY RIVETING !!!
Title: A Throne of Fire
Series: A Shade of Vampire
Designation: Book Forty of a Multi-Novel Series, Book 7 of Season 5, NOT a Standalone, Cliffhanger, 322 Pages
Author: Bella Forrest
Genre: Teen/Young Adult/ Coming of Age Paranormal/Supernatural/Fantasy Romance
Reading Platform: Kindle Unlimited
My Rating: FIVE SPELLBINDING STARS *****
A Throne of Fire is the fortieth riveting release in the international bestselling megahit series, A Shade of Vampire, and Bella Forrest has left me totally breathless - again! Like thousands of my fellow Shaddicts around the world, I've been hooked since the first book of the series and now eagerly await each new release. And it's no surprise that Forrest has delivered another new gripping adventure that curls our toes, makes our hearts pound and keeps us begging for more! This is a beautifully written young adult saga unlike any I've ever read. Quite simply, it's an irresistibly delicious all-you-can-eat buffet of fantasy, adventure, and supernatural coming of age romance. But never fear, my friends, it's also an irresistibly tasty treat for us older adults who remain young at heart! The story is well crafted, imaginative, thrilling, fast paced, action packed, suspenseful, sweet, romantic and at times, also dark and mysterious. Whew, what a mouthful, but these are only a few of the words that come to mind after reading this incredible chronicle of the Shade, its inhabitants, and their enemies. The narrative is exceptionally well written in the first person with multiple points of view. Each chapter is told by one of the primary characters (and there are many), which I believe gives so much more depth and perspective to the story while adding insight into the thoughts, fears, and motivations of the large diverse cast. The dialogue is smart, well executed and flows effortlessly. Although the premise and plot for the series are intriguing as well as compelling, it's truly the magnificent cast of larger than life characters that make the biggest impact. They are well developed, fascinating, captivating, engaging, endearing and quite literally, out of this world! They explode from the pages, grab your imagination, capture your heart and hold you completely and totally enthralled from beginning to end. Forrest skillfully combines all of these elements to craft a beautifully written paranormal romance filled to the brim with danger, action, adventure, fantasy, mystery, suspense, magic, supernatural beings, loyalty, heartbreak, betrayal, angst, hope, passion, love and plot twists that will blow your mind. After thirty-eight releases in one series, some might think the story has grown old or stagnant, but nothing could be farther from the truth. After reading every single one of the forty books, there are two things I've learned beyond a shadow of a doubt. First, when reading anything written by Bella Forrest, always expect the unexpected and two, absolutely nothing is ever impossible as we've all witnessed time and time again. In each book Forrest pens, she takes her readers on an emotionally thrilling roller coaster ride, unlike any other, one that keeps us on the edge of our seat and riveted to each page while screaming, "OMG - that didn't just happen!" And the icing on the cake, Forrest's books are always exceptionally well-crafted, edited, formatted and have gorgeous covers! I'm not a professional reviewer but I know what I like, what I love and what I don't and I love this series! I've never experienced anything like it. After reading Book 32: A Day of Glory, the final installment of season four, I had to ask myself, how in the world will Forrest ever be able to surpass her last release? But never fear my friends, Forrest has once again exhibited her extraordinary talent, remarkable skill, and incredible imagination by giving us yet another riveting new adventure featuring more of our new generation of young heroes with all of our beloved favorites also along for the ride.
Premise: Twenty-two years have passed since Ben Novak, Prince of The Shade, married the beautiful half blood River Giovanni. And much has changed in those years. The King and Queen of The Shade, Derek and Sophia Novak, are now proud grandparents, four times over and many of the other residents are also proud parents. Wow! Time really flies, doesn't it? Ben and River Novak have one nineteen-year-old half fae daughter, Grace, who, despite incredible odds, survived becoming a Bloodless and has just married Lawrence Conway, the man responsible for saving her life. Grace and Lawrence were married in a lovely ceremony in The Hearthlands officiated by half dragon and former Shade resident Heath. Ben and River also have a fairly new addition to their family. Two years ago, they discovered River had a son named Field, an adult Half-blood/Hawk hybrid who was the result of an invasive IBSI experiment performed while River was held prisoner twenty years earlier. Derek and Sophia's daughter, Shade Princess Rose Novak, has been happily married to Caleb Achilles for over 20 years. They have two human children, Hazel, age seventeen, and Benedict, age fourteen. Kiev and Mona Novalic have one nineteen-year-old son named Brock who is half warlock. Witches Ibrahim and Corrine have been blessed with a lovely nineteen-year-old full blooded witch daughter named Arwen who, despite her mother's objection, is dating Brock. Vampires Claudia and Yuri Lazaroff have a twenty-year-old human daughter, Ruby. Vampires Ashley and Landis Vaughn also have a fifteen-year-old human son Julian. Even the dragon residents of The Shade have flourished. Dragon shifter Jeriad and his human wife Sylvia now have a son, handsome strapping twenty-one-year-old half dragon Heath who now resides in The Hearthlands, his father's former realm. And there have many other happy unions among the residents. Aiden and Kailyn have been married for twenty-two years and adopted one of the werewolf pups recovered from the Harpies. Abby and Erik also took the plunge along with Micah and Kira, Eli and Shayla, and the two Jinn Aisha and Horatio who have a beautiful baby girl named Riza. And not surprisingly, ice dragon Lethe also has a human bride and now resides inside the protective boundaries of The Shade. Surprisingly, long time bachelor Lucas Novak is now a thriving resident of The Shade community but is no longer a bachelor. Yikes! For the first time in his 500 years of existence, he truly fell in love with Marion, the woman rescued from the Ogre realm, and has become a loving husband as well as father to Marion's daughter Avril. And of course, we all remember Xavier and Vivienne's beautiful daughter, Victoria Vaughn who married werewolf Bastien Blackhall in Season Four. Victoria and Bastien are now the proud parents of an adorable wolf hybrid son named Jovi . But as much as things have changed, there are still many things that have remained the same, including The Shade's mission to protect Earth from The Shade's many enemies, some known and some yet to be discovered.

A Dawn of Guardians(Book 33): Season Five begins two years after The Shadow League defeated the IBSI and ousted them from power. Our brave heroes of The Shade no longer operate from the shadows and have become the official and very public protectors of Earth and all its many realms and there are many...some yet to be discovered with strange and unfamiliar beings. As a result of their victory over the IBSI as well as their new public personas, the founders of TSL have become familiar faces around the globe making it impossible to travel anywhere without being recognized. In keeping with their responsibilities and duties, the name of the group has now been changed to the Global Agency for Supernatural Protection or GASP with Derek Novak as the Chairman/CEO and the other original members of TSL holding the key executive management positions. Even after finding the Bloodless cure and the elimination of the threat posed by the IBSI, supernatural crime still exists but with GASP having facilities and agents located the world over, it's handled professionally and expediently. And of course, they have maintained the alliances with the other supernatural realms made during the IBSI takedown. Their most recent case began with a call from the Greek island of Crete where tourists and locals have been mysteriously disappearing without a trace along with unexplained noises during the night and strange reports of vehicles being strangely mangled. All the incidents seem to be centered in the area surrounding the archaeological site of Knossos. Some of the more superstitious residents of the island fear the bizarre disturbances could be the result of Minotaurs, creatures of myth and legend returning to terrorize the island from the hidden ruins of the labyrinth. But are minotaurs real? Who could even say, especially after their recent discovery of several new supernatural species? Regardless, Derek and Sophia along with the other members of GASP from The Shade are scheduled to leave for Crete to investigate the case. And while their parents are conducting their investigation on Crete, Rose and Caleb Achilles' human children, seventeen-year-old Hazel and fourteen-year-old Benedict, along with Claudia and Yuri Lazaroff's twenty-year-old human daughter Ruby, and Landis and Ashley Vaughn's fifteen-year-old human son Julian are being shipped off to Murkbeech Island off the coast of Scotland for two weeks of summer camp where they will learn how to survive in the wilderness. It's a bit of a family tradition since this is the same wilderness training retreat Ben and Rose were sent when they were teenagers and we all remember how they ultimately ended up in Hawaii and the misadventures that ensued. I wonder if history will repeat itself and they'll also wind up being kidnapped and in mortal danger as did Rose and Ben? It seems they do but will our young heroes be able to save themselves?

A Sword of Chance (Book 34): Our story continues with GASP mounting an investigation on the island of Crete while Hazel, Benedict, Ruby and Julian arrive on Murkbeech Island for summer camp survival training only to be abducted by a group of mysterious malevolent supernatural beings called sentries who hail from Nevertide, a previously unknown realm to the Shade. Our young Shadians are kidnapped by the Hellswan brothers, Tejus, Jenus, Zerus and Ferros, all princes of the Hellswan Kingdom. The Hellswan bloodline has ruled the Hellswan Kingdom for many moons and hope to continue for many more. Hazel learns the Nevertide realm is made up of six separate kingdoms, each with its own ruling king or queen but all under the overall jurisdiction of one of the kingdom monarchs who also holds the title of Emperor of Nevertide and that Emperor just happens to be the King of Hellswan...the brothers' father. But unlike most kingdoms, these titles are not inherited, they are won in competitions. Sentries are large beings averaging seven feet tall and look mostly human. They possess heightened strength and speed, but unlike humans, their power is not derived from the food they eat but rather is sustained by feeding off the mental energy of others, much like vampires survive from ingesting blood. The sentries have found that certain special humans make the best donors and the Hellswan brothers need Hazel, Benedict, Ruby and Julia to be their power source for a trial where the sentries compete against each other. The winner will then participate in another trial for the position as the new King of Hellswan, then go on to hopefully also compete and win the title of Emperor as had their father before them, thereby keeping the seat of power for Nevertide in the Hellswan Kingdom. Their human captives are used as nothing more than batteries, useless, disposable and discarded when exhausted. And trials or no trials, the cycle will simply repeat with Sentries crossing dimensions when their human captives die, seeking and kidnapping more victims to use for their feeding habits and pleasure...unless Hazel, Benedict, Ruby and Julian can find a way to stop it...or maybe find a who to help them stop it. Trying to stay alive is proving to be quite the challenge for the young people so helping the right Sentry to win the competition might be their only way to survive. Clearly, their only hope is to somehow escape and alert their GASP family members to the actions of the sentries and the threat they pose to humanity. But whom can they trust to help them? Would it be Hazel's champion, Prince Tejus Hellswan, or Ruby's contender, commoner and people's choice, Ashbik Goode? Both are competing in the trials, but will our young heroes also be disposable to them once they win?

A Race of Trials (Book 35): Our story resumes in Nevertide after the devastating fiasco of the first trial in which many of the participants were eliminated...or killed. Yikes! Only twenty contenders remain including the obvious ministers' choice and son of the now deceased King of Hellswan, Prince Tejus Hellswan, and the peoples' favorite, commoner Ashbik Goode. Seven perilous trials remain, each fraught with danger. As tensions rise, a new player appears on the board, Oueen Trina Seraq, but is she friend or foe? Why is she so determined for Ashbik Goode to become the victor and why is she equally determined for Prince Tejus to lose? As Ruby and Hazel become more emotionally involved with their champions, friendships and loyalties are tested, and our young heroes are drawn deeper into the darkness of Nevertide. Secrets, lies, betrayal, and dark mysterious forces continue to wreak havoc as unknown dangers continue to threaten their well-being and safe return to The Shade. Meanwhile, GASP continues the investigation into the strange unexplained disappearances on the island of Crete. They've exhausted all leads but are no closer to solving the mystery of the five missing victims who seem to have no significant commonality and no similarities to connect them other than possibly their wealth. It's slowly becoming evident that several of the supernatural aspects of the case may be nothing more than a series of intentionally planted fake clues. But why, and by whom? Unfortunately, they have yet to learn the fate of Ruby, Hazel, Benedict and Julian. How much longer can our young heroes survive before the members of GASP realize their children have also been abducted and are no longer safe on MurkBeech Island? And once they do, will they be able to help? It seems our young Shadians may be on their own. They have a plan but will they be able to save themselves? Only one contender will win... A King will be crowned... Who will become the new King of Hellswan? But more importantly, what will it mean for our brave young Shadians?

A King of Shadow (Book 36): Our story resumes with a new king being crowned and once again a Hellswan descendent reigns. With Hazel's assistance, Tejus has defeated Ashbik and won the final trial thereby insuring his right to compete in the imperial trials. Unfortunately, Tejus soon learns he has acquired much more than just the crown; he's also inherited the ancient secrets hidden within the walls of the palace for centuries. Sinister long-forgotten entities aided by a long forgotten group call the Acolytes with malevolent intentions are at work, and with the Imperial Trials to determine the new emperor of Nevertide still to come, the situation has become grim. Julian is still missing and Hazel's brother Benedict has been possessed by a dangerous entity and has also disappeared. The palace has been surrounded by an invisible magical barrier and they have all become prisoners. The fate of the Hellswan Kingdom along with our young Shadians has become most dire. Hazel reveals her supernatural heritage and Tejus finally sees there's so more to the brave young woman than he realized. The star-crossed couple once again join forces to seek answers and despite their resolve to fight their undeniable attraction, they continue to grow closer as each is forced to acknowledge the escalating affection between them. But Hazel and Tejus are not the only couple with increasing attachments. Ruby and Ashbik have also become much more than friends but as their feelings have grown, so has the danger. It seems, they too, have fallen victim to the evil forces at play.

An Empire of Stones (Book 37): The situation continues to grow more dangerous for our young heroes. With Benedict now possessed by the entity and Julian still missing, whom can Ruby and Hazel trust? How can they determine friend from foe? Who will win the imperial trials and become the new emperor of Nevertide? Will it be Tejus or has Hazel claimed his heart? But things are not as they seem! They never are when residents of The Shade are involved. Thankfully, help may be on the way. The family members of GASP are finally aware their children are missing from Murkbeech Island and now they must do what they do best... solve the mystery, locate their loved ones and defeat the evil which looms closer. But will they be able to find them before it's too late?

A Power of Old (Book 38): And so it has begun...an ancient evil has awoken. Our story continues as GASP races the clock to find our young heroes while Hazel, Ruby, Benedict & Julian battle for their lives against unexpected enemies hiding in plain sight. With our star-crossed lovers growing ever closer, passion and emotions run high resulting in lines being crossed which can never be uncrossed. As dark forces lurk at every turn, Forrest skillfully begins to peel back the layers of lies, deceit, suspense and mystery revealing long kept secrets, surprising betrayals and a dangerous enemy which threatens all the realms of Earth.

A Rip of Realms (Book 39): In this heart-pounding continuation, Forrest kicks up the heat as the danger increases and even more shocking secrets are revealed. With the fate of the world now at stake, our ragtag group of heroes race against the clock to defeat the maniacal Oueen Trina and the Acolytes, hopefully thereby stopping the malevolent entity from rising which would most certainly result in the destruction of Earth and all its realms & dimensions.

A Throne of Fire(Book 40): The entity has awakened and is wreaking havoc on Nevertide and its residents. GASP has finally breached the barrier over the portal but are they in time to stop the dark force from rising? Will GASP unite with the armies of Nevertide to yet again achieve the impossible & save the world? All could be lost, worlds may be destroyed... not everyone will survive. Who will live and who will die? As they face the biggest battle of their lives, will the Novak clan and GASP once again prevail? We'll see! More action... more danger... more drama... more suspense... & some very angry Shade parents! Oh my!

Two beautiful, brave, young adult human heroines-check! Two courageous human teenage heroes -check! A new realm inhabited by a mysterious race of unknown supernaturals-check! Two new enemies who may become so much more-we'll see! An army of supernatural heroes with a new name-check! A dangerous, dark force with malevolent intentions who may be more powerful than any yet faced by the Shade-check! A magnificent cast of characters including a new young generation of heroes-check! A plethora of supernatural beings-you bet! More new creatures that we've never before encountered-check! Danger, drama, action, adventure, suspense, betrayal and deviously dark evil machinations-check! Two sweet budding romances-Heck yeah! We have lift off! That and a whole lot more! Buckle up my lovelies for another exciting new adventure with all our favorite residents of The Shade including a brand new generation of heroes, all working together to battle old enemies along with a few new ones as well. Fabulous entertainment & an awesome read!

[Phyllis Pickens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gird your Loins !

Bravo!!! What an epic read from the beginning to the end. Families are reunited, understanding and acceptance is put to the test, a leader recognizes another leader and all hell breaks loose ! And more......

[Lisa McPherson · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite book of this "series". Loved it! I held my breath the entire book... and laughed out loud several times! The Novaks are finally reunited in Nevertide as GASP made it through the portal. Of course our favorite men Derek and Caleb are being growly and protective of Hazel. Not to mention Claudia with Ash. Whew...

[Tanisha Frazier · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow

The story keeps getting better and I'm just amazed at Bella's storytelling. Can't wait for book 41. Like seriously I wish it was the 20th.

[Judy Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

ABSOLUTELY RIVETING !!!
Title: A Throne of Fire
Series: A Shade of Vampire
Designation: Book Forty of a Multi-Novel Series, Book 7 of Season 5, NOT a Standalone, Cliffhanger, 322 Pages
Author: Bella Forrest
Genre: Teen/Young Adult/ Coming of Age Paranormal/Supernatural/Fantasy Romance
Reading Platform: Kindle Unlimited
My Rating: FIVE SPELLBINDING STARS *****
A Throne of Fire is the fortieth riveting release in the international bestselling megahit series, A Shade of Vampire, and Bella Forrest has left me totally breathless - again! Like thousands of my fellow Shaddicts around the world, I've been hooked since the first book of the series and now eagerly await each new release. And it's no surprise that Forrest has delivered another new gripping adventure that curls our toes, makes our hearts pound and keeps us begging for more! This is a beautifully written young adult saga unlike any I've ever read. Quite simply, it's an irresistibly delicious all-you-can-eat buffet of fantasy, adventure, and supernatural coming of age romance. But never fear, my friends, it's also an irresistibly tasty treat for us older adults who remain young at heart! The story is well crafted, imaginative, thrilling, fast paced, action packed, suspenseful, sweet, romantic and at times, also dark and mysterious. Whew, what a mouthful, but these are only a few of the words that come to mind after reading this incredible chronicle of the Shade, its inhabitants, and their enemies. The narrative is exceptionally well written in the first person with multiple points of view. Each chapter is told by one of the primary characters (and there are many), which I believe gives so much more depth and perspective to the story while adding insight into the thoughts, fears, and motivations of the large diverse cast. The dialogue is smart, well executed and flows effortlessly. Although the premise and plot for the series are intriguing as well as compelling, it's truly the magnificent cast of larger than life characters that make the biggest impact. They are well developed, fascinating, captivating, engaging, endearing and quite literally, out of this world! They explode from the pages, grab your imagination, capture your heart and hold you completely and totally enthralled from beginning to end. Forrest skillfully combines all of these elements to craft a beautifully written paranormal romance filled to the brim with danger, action, adventure, fantasy, mystery, suspense, magic, supernatural beings, loyalty, heartbreak, betrayal, angst, hope, passion, love and plot twists that will blow your mind. After thirty-eight releases in one series, some might think the story has grown old or stagnant, but nothing could be farther from the truth. After reading every single one of the forty books, there are two things I've learned beyond a shadow of a doubt. First, when reading anything written by Bella Forrest, always expect the unexpected and two, absolutely nothing is ever impossible as we've all witnessed time and time again. In each book Forrest pens, she takes her readers on an emotionally thrilling roller coaster ride, unlike any other, one that keeps us on the edge of our seat and riveted to each page while screaming, "OMG - that didn't just happen!" And the icing on the cake, Forrest's books are always exceptionally well-crafted, edited, formatted and have gorgeous covers! I'm not a professional reviewer but I know what I like, what I love and what I don't and I love this series! I've never experienced anything like it. After reading Book 32: A Day of Glory, the final installment of season four, I had to ask myself, how in the world will Forrest ever be able to surpass her last release? But never fear my friends, Forrest has once again exhibited her extraordinary talent, remarkable skill, and incredible imagination by giving us yet another riveting new adventure featuring more of our new generation of young heroes with all of our beloved favorites also along for the ride.
Premise: Twenty-two years have passed since Ben Novak, Prince of The Shade, married the beautiful half blood River Giovanni. And much has changed in those years. The King and Queen of The Shade, Derek and Sophia Novak, are now proud grandparents, four times over and many of the other residents are also proud parents. Wow! Time really flies, doesn't it? Ben and River Novak have one nineteen-year-old half fae daughter, Grace, who, despite incredible odds, survived becoming a Bloodless and has just married Lawrence Conway, the man responsible for saving her life. Grace and Lawrence were married in a lovely ceremony in The Hearthlands officiated by half dragon and former Shade resident Heath. Ben and River also have a fairly new addition to their family. Two years ago, they discovered River had a son named Field, an adult Half-blood/Hawk hybrid who was the result of an invasive IBSI experiment performed while River was held prisoner twenty years earlier. Derek and Sophia's daughter, Shade Princess Rose Novak, has been happily married to Caleb Achilles for over 20 years. They have two human children, Hazel, age seventeen, and Benedict, age fourteen. Kiev and Mona Novalic have one nineteen-year-old son named Brock who is half warlock. Witches Ibrahim and Corrine have been blessed with a lovely nineteen-year-old full blooded witch daughter named Arwen who, despite her mother's objection, is dating Brock. Vampires Claudia and Yuri Lazaroff have a twenty-year-old human daughter, Ruby. Vampires Ashley and Landis Vaughn also have a fifteen-year-old human son Julian. Even the dragon residents of The Shade have flourished. Dragon shifter Jeriad and his human wife Sylvia now have a son, handsome strapping twenty-one-year-old half dragon Heath who now resides in The Hearthlands, his father's former realm. And there have many other happy unions among the residents. Aiden and Kailyn have been married for twenty-two years and adopted one of the werewolf pups recovered from the Harpies. Abby and Erik also took the plunge along with Micah and Kira, Eli and Shayla, and the two Jinn Aisha and Horatio who have a beautiful baby girl named Riza. And not surprisingly, ice dragon Lethe also has a human bride and now resides inside the protective boundaries of The Shade. Surprisingly, long time bachelor Lucas Novak is now a thriving resident of The Shade community but is no longer a bachelor. Yikes! For the first time in his 500 years of existence, he truly fell in love with Marion, the woman rescued from the Ogre realm, and has become a loving husband as well as father to Marion's daughter Avril. And of course, we all remember Xavier and Vivienne's beautiful daughter, Victoria Vaughn who married werewolf Bastien Blackhall in Season Four. Victoria and Bastien are now the proud parents of an adorable wolf hybrid son named Jovi . But as much as things have changed, there are still many things that have remained the same, including The Shade's mission to protect Earth from The Shade's many enemies, some known and some yet to be discovered.

A Dawn of Guardians(Book 33): Season Five begins two years after The Shadow League defeated the IBSI and ousted them from power. Our brave heroes of The Shade no longer operate from the shadows and have become the official and very public protectors of Earth and all its many realms and there are many...some yet to be discovered with strange and unfamiliar beings. As a result of their victory over the IBSI as well as their new public personas, the founders of TSL have become familiar faces around the globe making it impossible to travel anywhere without being recognized. In keeping with their responsibilities and duties, the name of the group has now been changed to the Global Agency for Supernatural Protection or GASP with Derek Novak as the Chairman/CEO and the other original members of TSL holding the key executive management positions. Even after finding the Bloodless cure and the elimination of the threat posed by the IBSI, supernatural crime still exists but with GASP having facilities and agents located the world over, it's handled professionally and expediently. And of course, they have maintained the alliances with the other supernatural realms made during the IBSI takedown. Their most recent case began with a call from the Greek island of Crete where tourists and locals have been mysteriously disappearing without a trace along with unexplained noises during the night and strange reports of vehicles being strangely mangled. All the incidents seem to be centered in the area surrounding the archaeological site of Knossos. Some of the more superstitious residents of the island fear the bizarre disturbances could be the result of Minotaurs, creatures of myth and legend returning to terrorize the island from the hidden ruins of the labyrinth. But are minotaurs real? Who could even say, especially after their recent discovery of several new supernatural species? Regardless, Derek and Sophia along with the other members of GASP from The Shade are scheduled to leave for Crete to investigate the case. And while their parents are conducting their investigation on Crete, Rose and Caleb Achilles' human children, seventeen-year-old Hazel and fourteen-year-old Benedict, along with Claudia and Yuri Lazaroff's twenty-year-old human daughter Ruby, and Landis and Ashley Vaughn's fifteen-year-old human son Julian are being shipped off to Murkbeech Island off the coast of Scotland for two weeks of summer camp where they will learn how to survive in the wilderness. It's a bit of a family tradition since this is the same wilderness training retreat Ben and Rose were sent when they were teenagers and we all remember how they ultimately ended up in Hawaii and the misadventures that ensued. I wonder if history will repeat itself and they'll also wind up being kidnapped and in mortal danger as did Rose and Ben? It seems they do but will our young heroes be able to save themselves?

A Sword of Chance (Book 34): Our story continues with GASP mounting an investigation on the island of Crete while Hazel, Benedict, Ruby and Julian arrive on Murkbeech Island for summer camp survival training only to be abducted by a group of mysterious malevolent supernatural beings called sentries who hail from Nevertide, a previously unknown realm to the Shade. Our young Shadians are kidnapped by the Hellswan brothers, Tejus, Jenus, Zerus and Ferros, all princes of the Hellswan Kingdom. The Hellswan bloodline has ruled the Hellswan Kingdom for many moons and hope to continue for many more. Hazel learns the Nevertide realm is made up of six separate kingdoms, each with its own ruling king or queen but all under the overall jurisdiction of one of the kingdom monarchs who also holds the title of Emperor of Nevertide and that Emperor just happens to be the King of Hellswan...the brothers' father. But unlike most kingdoms, these titles are not inherited, they are won in competitions. Sentries are large beings averaging seven feet tall and look mostly human. They possess heightened strength and speed, but unlike humans, their power is not derived from the food they eat but rather is sustained by feeding off the mental energy of others, much like vampires survive from ingesting blood. The sentries have found that certain special humans make the best donors and the Hellswan brothers need Hazel, Benedict, Ruby and Julia to be their power source for a trial where the sentries compete against each other. The winner will then participate in another trial for the position as the new King of Hellswan, then go on to hopefully also compete and win the title of Emperor as had their father before them, thereby keeping the seat of power for Nevertide in the Hellswan Kingdom. Their human captives are used as nothing more than batteries, useless, disposable and discarded when exhausted. And trials or no trials, the cycle will simply repeat with Sentries crossing dimensions when their human captives die, seeking and kidnapping more victims to use for their feeding habits and pleasure...unless Hazel, Benedict, Ruby and Julian can find a way to stop it...or maybe find a who to help them stop it. Trying to stay alive is proving to be quite the challenge for the young people so helping the right Sentry to win the competition might be their only way to survive. Clearly, their only hope is to somehow escape and alert their GASP family members to the actions of the sentries and the threat they pose to humanity. But whom can they trust to help them? Would it be Hazel's champion, Prince Tejus Hellswan, or Ruby's contender, commoner and people's choice, Ashbik Goode? Both are competing in the trials, but will our young heroes also be disposable to them once they win?

A Race of Trials (Book 35): Our story resumes in Nevertide after the devastating fiasco of the first trial in which many of the participants were eliminated...or killed. Yikes! Only twenty contenders remain including the obvious ministers' choice and son of the now deceased King of Hellswan, Prince Tejus Hellswan, and the peoples' favorite, commoner Ashbik Goode. Seven perilous trials remain, each fraught with danger. As tensions rise, a new player appears on the board, Oueen Trina Seraq, but is she friend or foe? Why is she so determined for Ashbik Goode to become the victor and why is she equally determined for Prince Tejus to lose? As Ruby and Hazel become more emotionally involved with their champions, friendships and loyalties are tested, and our young heroes are drawn deeper into the darkness of Nevertide. Secrets, lies, betrayal, and dark mysterious forces continue to wreak havoc as unknown dangers continue to threaten their well-being and safe return to The Shade. Meanwhile, GASP continues the investigation into the strange unexplained disappearances on the island of Crete. They've exhausted all leads but are no closer to solving the mystery of the five missing victims who seem to have no significant commonality and no similarities to connect them other than possibly their wealth. It's slowly becoming evident that several of the supernatural aspects of the case may be nothing more than a series of intentionally planted fake clues. But why, and by whom? Unfortunately, they have yet to learn the fate of Ruby, Hazel, Benedict and Julian. How much longer can our young heroes survive before the members of GASP realize their children have also been abducted and are no longer safe on MurkBeech Island? And once they do, will they be able to help? It seems our young Shadians may be on their own. They have a plan but will they be able to save themselves? Only one contender will win... A King will be crowned... Who will become the new King of Hellswan? But more importantly, what will it mean for our brave young Shadians?

A King of Shadow (Book 36): Our story resumes with a new king being crowned and once again a Hellswan descendent reigns. With Hazel's assistance, Tejus has defeated Ashbik and won the final trial thereby insuring his right to compete in the imperial trials. Unfortunately, Tejus soon learns he has acquired much more than just the crown; he's also inherited the ancient secrets hidden within the walls of the palace for centuries. Sinister long-forgotten entities aided by a long forgotten group call the Acolytes with malevolent intentions are at work, and with the Imperial Trials to determine the new emperor of Nevertide still to come, the situation has become grim. Julian is still missing and Hazel's brother Benedict has been possessed by a dangerous entity and has also disappeared. The palace has been surrounded by an invisible magical barrier and they have all become prisoners. The fate of the Hellswan Kingdom along with our young Shadians has become most dire. Hazel reveals her supernatural heritage and Tejus finally sees there's so more to the brave young woman than he realized. The star-crossed couple once again join forces to seek answers and despite their resolve to fight their undeniable attraction, they continue to grow closer as each is forced to acknowledge the escalating affection between them. But Hazel and Tejus are not the only couple with increasing attachments. Ruby and Ashbik have also become much more than friends but as their feelings have grown, so has the danger. It seems, they too, have fallen victim to the evil forces at play.

An Empire of Stones (Book 37): The situation continues to grow more dangerous for our young heroes. With Benedict now possessed by the entity and Julian still missing, whom can Ruby and Hazel trust? How can they determine friend from foe? Who will win the imperial trials and become the new emperor of Nevertide? Will it be Tejus or has Hazel claimed his heart? But things are not as they seem! They never are when residents of The Shade are involved. Thankfully, help may be on the way. The family members of GASP are finally aware their children are missing from Murkbeech Island and now they must do what they do best... solve the mystery, locate their loved ones and defeat the evil which looms closer. But will they be able to find them before it's too late?

A Power of Old (Book 38): And so it has begun...an ancient evil has awoken. Our story continues as GASP races the clock to find our young heroes while Hazel, Ruby, Benedict & Julian battle for their lives against unexpected enemies hiding in plain sight. With our star-crossed lovers growing ever closer, passion and emotions run high resulting in lines being crossed which can never be uncrossed. As dark forces lurk at every turn, Forrest skillfully begins to peel back the layers of lies, deceit, suspense and mystery revealing long kept secrets, surprising betrayals and a dangerous enemy which threatens all the realms of Earth.

A Rip of Realms (Book 39): In this heart-pounding continuation, Forrest kicks up the heat as the danger increases and even more shocking secrets are revealed. With the fate of the world now at stake, our ragtag group of heroes race against the clock to defeat the maniacal Oueen Trina and the Acolytes, hopefully thereby stopping the malevolent entity from rising which would most certainly result in the destruction of Earth and all its realms & dimensions.

A Throne of Fire(Book 40): The entity has awakened and is wreaking havoc on Nevertide and its residents. GASP has finally breached the barrier over the portal but are they in time to stop the dark force from rising? Will GASP unite with the armies of Nevertide to yet again achieve the impossible & save the world? All could be lost, worlds may be destroyed... not everyone will survive. Who will live and who will die? As they face the biggest battle of their lives, will the Novak clan and GASP once again prevail? We'll see! More action... more danger... more drama... more suspense... & some very angry Shade parents! Oh my!

Two beautiful, brave, young adult human heroines-check! Two courageous human teenage heroes -check! A new realm inhabited by a mysterious race of unknown supernaturals-check! Two new enemies who may become so much more-we'll see! An army of supernatural heroes with a new name-check! A dangerous, dark force with malevolent intentions who may be more powerful than any yet faced by the Shade-check! A magnificent cast of characters including a new young generation of heroes-check! A plethora of supernatural beings-you bet! More new creatures that we've never before encountered-check! Danger, drama, action, adventure, suspense, betrayal and deviously dark evil machinations-check! Two sweet budding romances-Heck yeah! We have lift off! That and a whole lot more! Buckle up my lovelies for another exciting new adventure with all our favorite residents of The Shade including a brand new generation of heroes, all working together to battle old enemies along with a few new ones as well. Fabulous entertainment & an awesome read!

[Kelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just as good as the others but this battle is the best so far!!

[Donna Morrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Man, this was one awesome book. I was so glad that the clan from The Shade found the kids. I am also so glad of the relationship of Hazel and Tejus. I am in love with them and I really hope he goes back to The Shade with them when they are able to leave. I am not sure what Ruby and Ash are going to do but, I have a feeling she is going to stay with him. It would be nice if they all went back to The Shade. It also leaves a cliffhanger that will have you screaming at your book, so make sure you are somewhere you wont get looks like you are crazy when you finish the book. I highly recommend this series if you have not read this series yet it is not too late. If you have kindle unlimited you will really love it because you can read them for free.It will not take you long to catch up because you will be so into these books you will want to keep reading. So go and get your copies today.

Until Next Time: Happy Reading.

[Maria Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Meet the parents

Tejus and Ash meet the parents of the girls and let's just say things don't go very well. They get quite the inquisition and too many glares to count from the families. Putting all that aside they come together to battle the entity and the shadows. Thanks to Hazel they find a weapon that can be used against the shadows since nothing else seems to hurt it. Sherus develops an interest in queen Nuriya. I'm curious to see how that develops, I definitely like them as a couple. I've always like Nuriya and have been waiting for her to get her HEA. I always felt sad for her considering all that she had lost.

[Brittany Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was action packed! I was so excited to finally have all the novaks reunited and see Tejus and Ash both get drilled by the parents! Hazel has become so strong and I wonder what to make of that barrier that was put up by Hazel and Tejus together, I assume its strength came from their bond and I hope they can use it to their advantage to fight off the enemy. It's hard to believe there is only one book left to this storyline! Will they find the mysterious jinni?

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Obsessed yet again by the Shade Characters

Tejus ,Hazel, Ruby and Ash have probably been my favourite characters of all the books. Just when I though the dragon series had stolen my heart this also has to. Onto the last book with sadness that its coming to an end. Fantastic read again

[qiana · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best series thus far

I'm so made season 5 finale ends in the next book. Hoping for season 6 already. Great read, great plot, great suspense, great thrills, great family and great everything.

[Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blown away!

I am in awe that Bella writes these stories so quickly and they are so addicting!!! I love the Shade books!!!

[Sharon Beck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this

At some point I thought I would get bored with these book's, but each one I read has me hooked. Cant wait for the next one

[kate...l · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant

All I can say is another great book from the shade , just read 3 in a row ,can't wait till next one out

[Amanda Crisp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Favorite story yet!

I think this has been my favorite book of this season! So much action & the family reunited ..... Its awesome!!!

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

love it love it love it i am so glad this story is so coming together this is one reason why i love reading these books by Bella Forrest she always put the story together and i am glad that the parents are there we all know it will be a fight now cant wait to read 41

[Sharlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Final chapter next!

Cliff hangers! You never know what is around the next corner! Once again, emotions running rampant waiting to see how good overpowers evil! Lovin' every word!

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow

Bella has done it again I’m a few books behind but still keeps me coming back to the shade excellent series and writer!

[Tiffany · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome

The book is great as always. I can’t put these books down one reason why I have to have kindle unlimited.

[Kelly Gunn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant read .

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is by far the best book of season 5 so far.

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

That's it! I want to be a Shadian 🤣😍

[Yasmin Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A war is coming. You don’t hear it. Now all you can feel is it’s thundering approach.

Its organised and prolonged.

Who survives? What is to remain?

“Is this the end?”

[Deanna Darnell · Rating 5 out of 5]

BEST BOOK SO FAR, BEST GROUP OF CHARECTER AS WELL!

[tara Cooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book, highly addictive. I love how each ten books are a series that entwines with the originals

[Cassandra Dingwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow

Amazing ... on the edge of my seat!!!! I can’t wait to start the next and final book to find out just what happens for the shadians

[Melissa Johns · Rating 5 out of 5]

So Good!

Yes! Loved this! I had to consciously slow myself down to enjoy this. So excited to see how this goes!

[Tara Locker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic

Excellent book loved it. Never disappointed with bella forrest books. Can't wait for the next one to see what happens. It's a must read

[Sheena D. Steiner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never ceases to amaze!

I have been reading the Shade for a little over a year now and I mean it when I say, the stories get better with every book and every book I finish is my favorite!
Bella has to make a witch in Shade named Bella, because she works absolute magic when she creates these stories and sucks you in, making you feel like you are the character, feeling their feelings and seeing the things that they are seeing.
I can't wait to see what each new shade book has in store!!!!!!