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Vespers Chronicles #2
The Circle
The Order of Vespers is in turmoil. Their most powerful supernatural members have been kidnapped by a cult hell-bent on destroying the cosmic balance. Its members are revolting and their leadership, The Circle, is hanging on by a thread. The one person who can save them, Jasper Andrews, has been missing for over a year.
Jordan McAllister gets a lucky break when one raid turns up more than they could have hoped for: a way to bring back his dearest friend and partner-in-crime. While members of The Circle are against using magic to restore her, Jordan is convinced that Jasper has a larger role to play. He believes that she can stop the kidnappings, ferret out the traitors to the Order, and save the world. The Circle must decide whether to trust in dark magic and a friend that may no longer exist or to forget her and try to save the Order themselves.
Jordan McAllister gets a lucky break when one raid turns up more than they could have hoped for: a way to bring back his dearest friend and partner-in-crime. While members of The Circle are against using magic to restore her, Jordan is convinced that Jasper has a larger role to play. He believes that she can stop the kidnappings, ferret out the traitors to the Order, and save the world. The Circle must decide whether to trust in dark magic and a friend that may no longer exist or to forget her and try to save the Order themselves.
- GenresFantasyParanormal
334 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 4, 2017
About the author
Matilda Reyes
9 books45 followersMatilda Reyes writes with a wicked red pen and a soft spot for characters who bite back. A storyteller working across urban fantasy, paranormal romance, and romantasy, she builds worlds where magic and mystery crash headlong into pulse-pounding adventure — and the dialogue is always sharp enough to leave a mark.
She grew up in the Bronx, where city streets and seasons with serious opinions (blazing summers, brutal winters) first sparked her love of storytelling. That city-kid restlessness found a natural home in urban fantasy classics like The Dresden Files and The Iron Druid Chronicles — formative reads whose influence still echoes in her work today.
Matilda is the author of the Order of Vespers universe, the cornerstone of her ongoing Vespers Chronicles, that blends supernatural crime-solving with rich magical lore and the kind of unforgettable characters readers return to again and again.
On her current workbench: the 10th Anniversary Edition of Order of Vespers, arriving August 30, 2026, with brand new chapters. Further out, she's developing a romantasy that reckons with magic, technology, and the ugly consequences of hoarding power — plus a magic academia story that's already causing trouble.
Before planting roots in Costa Rica, Matilda wrote her way across the United States, logging time on both coasts and making regular appearances at comic conventions as a vendor, panelist, and enthusiastic discusser of craft, creative influences, and an ever-multiplying TBR pile. Now she lives the Pura Vida life, drawing daily inspiration from volcanoes, coffee fields, and coastlines. Her loyal beta reader and co-conspirator through every twist and spell? Pretty Parker, the world's best puppy.
This year marks ten years of Order of Vespers and the Vespers Chronicles — a milestone Matilda is celebrating with a definitive 10th Anniversary Edition, out August 30, 2026.
She grew up in the Bronx, where city streets and seasons with serious opinions (blazing summers, brutal winters) first sparked her love of storytelling. That city-kid restlessness found a natural home in urban fantasy classics like The Dresden Files and The Iron Druid Chronicles — formative reads whose influence still echoes in her work today.
Matilda is the author of the Order of Vespers universe, the cornerstone of her ongoing Vespers Chronicles, that blends supernatural crime-solving with rich magical lore and the kind of unforgettable characters readers return to again and again.
On her current workbench: the 10th Anniversary Edition of Order of Vespers, arriving August 30, 2026, with brand new chapters. Further out, she's developing a romantasy that reckons with magic, technology, and the ugly consequences of hoarding power — plus a magic academia story that's already causing trouble.
Before planting roots in Costa Rica, Matilda wrote her way across the United States, logging time on both coasts and making regular appearances at comic conventions as a vendor, panelist, and enthusiastic discusser of craft, creative influences, and an ever-multiplying TBR pile. Now she lives the Pura Vida life, drawing daily inspiration from volcanoes, coffee fields, and coastlines. Her loyal beta reader and co-conspirator through every twist and spell? Pretty Parker, the world's best puppy.
This year marks ten years of Order of Vespers and the Vespers Chronicles — a milestone Matilda is celebrating with a definitive 10th Anniversary Edition, out August 30, 2026.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
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September 18, 2019🎁 FREE on Amazon today (9/18/2019)! 🎁
June 2, 2017
Back into the world of the Vespers, the Circle, and a year into the future.
After the previous books huge cliffhanger I was very excited to see what happened next. I was quickly hooked and a bit confused.
The MC of the previous book has, well, exploded. Now her friends and colleages are trying to pick up the pieces of their order and dealing with infighting and the loss of Jasper. Here's where the interesting change comes in: multiple points of view. Jordan, the friend, trainer, mentor, enemy, boss, and sort of love (like) interest is now a major player. He's cranky and lost. Dreams so real of his friend Jasper as she begs him to find her, save her. It's almost too much for him to survive.
Jasper is hanging out with the gods and monsters. Though I found her time in the linimal zone very interesting, the passage of time through the the book was still choppy and confusing, the transition of days, weeks, months hard to decipher. I found it helpful in this book, though, because of Jasper's time in the Phantom Zone, as it were; she was confused and the reader needed to be as well.
So was there swearing, violence, and/or graphic sex? Some, yes, and nope. There was a love triangle and boy was it awkward! I've never felt so sorry for three characters as I did for these. The swearing was very mild and PG. Violence, well, they ARE assassins charged to maintain the balance of good and evil in the world. There was the inference of sex, but no graphic descriptions, just a "fade to black" situation. Much more explanation of the paranormal and history of The Order throughout the novel was super inventive and fun, with just a hint of creepy.
As with the first book, The Circle is a cast of diverse characters. Since this is a hot button issue right now I found it so refreshing that the diverse character cast was not forced at all! It felt like any group of people who work and interact with each other, not something done to make a political or social statement.
I really enjoyed this book. The sass and snark was at a good high decibel. The suspense and conflict at just the right level. I truly loved the interactions between Jasper and her new mentor from another dimension, the true friendship that endured, and the real life feelings of a crush failing apart. The ending has left me on the edge, waiting, once again and I'll be happy to get situations resolved and see how changes in the characters lives turn out in the third book. There is a third book right, Ms. Reyes? Please don't leave a book nerd hanging!
After the previous books huge cliffhanger I was very excited to see what happened next. I was quickly hooked and a bit confused.
The MC of the previous book has, well, exploded. Now her friends and colleages are trying to pick up the pieces of their order and dealing with infighting and the loss of Jasper. Here's where the interesting change comes in: multiple points of view. Jordan, the friend, trainer, mentor, enemy, boss, and sort of love (like) interest is now a major player. He's cranky and lost. Dreams so real of his friend Jasper as she begs him to find her, save her. It's almost too much for him to survive.
Jasper is hanging out with the gods and monsters. Though I found her time in the linimal zone very interesting, the passage of time through the the book was still choppy and confusing, the transition of days, weeks, months hard to decipher. I found it helpful in this book, though, because of Jasper's time in the Phantom Zone, as it were; she was confused and the reader needed to be as well.
So was there swearing, violence, and/or graphic sex? Some, yes, and nope. There was a love triangle and boy was it awkward! I've never felt so sorry for three characters as I did for these. The swearing was very mild and PG. Violence, well, they ARE assassins charged to maintain the balance of good and evil in the world. There was the inference of sex, but no graphic descriptions, just a "fade to black" situation. Much more explanation of the paranormal and history of The Order throughout the novel was super inventive and fun, with just a hint of creepy.
As with the first book, The Circle is a cast of diverse characters. Since this is a hot button issue right now I found it so refreshing that the diverse character cast was not forced at all! It felt like any group of people who work and interact with each other, not something done to make a political or social statement.
I really enjoyed this book. The sass and snark was at a good high decibel. The suspense and conflict at just the right level. I truly loved the interactions between Jasper and her new mentor from another dimension, the true friendship that endured, and the real life feelings of a crush failing apart. The ending has left me on the edge, waiting, once again and I'll be happy to get situations resolved and see how changes in the characters lives turn out in the third book. There is a third book right, Ms. Reyes? Please don't leave a book nerd hanging!
July 9, 2022
Jasper's sacrifice has left the Vespers caught in no man's land, still targets for a vicious cult, constantly fighting for balance and struggling to move on. But bringing her back may open the way for something far darker than any can cope with.
Middle books in a trilogy can often be problematic in that they tend to be less compelling in terms of narrative. Here, Reyes introduces the reader to new characters and an ominous sense of what lies ahead in her finale. Thankfully those very characters carry enough clout to keep pages turning and to encourage pushing through to the third book.
Middle books in a trilogy can often be problematic in that they tend to be less compelling in terms of narrative. Here, Reyes introduces the reader to new characters and an ominous sense of what lies ahead in her finale. Thankfully those very characters carry enough clout to keep pages turning and to encourage pushing through to the third book.
June 23, 2019
Intricate
Jasper lived on the liminal plane for a year. When the time came for her to return to Earth, everyone was worried that she would break. Jordan avoids her, Mikael is worried about her mental health, and Dakarai has all but disappeared. With their leader's betrayal, The Vespers are teetering on the edge. Will they stand or fall? And what part will Jasper play?
A really intriguing and intricate plot. A little hard to follow at times but it all makes sense at the end.
Jasper lived on the liminal plane for a year. When the time came for her to return to Earth, everyone was worried that she would break. Jordan avoids her, Mikael is worried about her mental health, and Dakarai has all but disappeared. With their leader's betrayal, The Vespers are teetering on the edge. Will they stand or fall? And what part will Jasper play?
A really intriguing and intricate plot. A little hard to follow at times but it all makes sense at the end.
October 17, 2017
Elyse Reyes has done it again! This story is a perfect continuation of the Vespers Chronicles. Jasper and Jordy will crack you up every time with their snarky banter. It is definitely darker than I usually read, but it didn't bother me. The Circle is urban fantasy at its best and I would highly recommend it to any reader that enjoys a fast paced supernatural drama.
January 22, 2020
The Circle
A very entertaining story with wonderful characters and plenty of action to keep your interest as it progresses
A very entertaining story with wonderful characters and plenty of action to keep your interest as it progresses
December 23, 2019
I really liked this book. It was so different from the traditional vampire, werewolf, mage books. The circle was incredibly refreshing. If you like urban fantasy I would give this a try.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews