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The Odium Trilogy #2
Broken Reign
Jastyn Cipher hated the royal family until she met Princess Aurelia. But the princess continuously surprises her, like when she unexpectedly joins Jastyn on a dangerous and harrowing journey to find the cure for Jastyn’s ailing sister. Princess Aurelia Diarmaid knew she was meant for more than a life trapped inside the castle in the Kingdom of Venostes. But she never anticipated the price of her freedom would be the tragic death of her brother at the hand of their closest friend. Fate brought Jastyn and Aurelia together, but their budding relationship is tested as obstacles both fae and human stand between them and the cure they desperately seek. Will their new love be enough to carry them through what lies ahead?
262 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 15, 2020
5 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
About the author
Sam Ledel
10 books27 followersSam Ledel is the author of nine novels with Bold Strokes Books. Her debut, Rocks and Stars, was a 2019 Goldie Finalist for Young Adult fiction. She is twice a finalist in the LGBTQ+ category of the Next Generation Indie Book Awards - in 2023 for Wildflower Words and in 2025 for Adrift, both historical romances. Her 2025 novel Discovering Gold placed first in Women's Fiction in the CIPA EVVY Book Awards.
Ledel enjoys being able to write in her free time, usually with her Jack Russell terrier snuggled close by. She is currently working on her next novel.
Ledel enjoys being able to write in her free time, usually with her Jack Russell terrier snuggled close by. She is currently working on her next novel.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 13, 2020
Broken Reign, the second book in The Odium Trilogy, picks up where Daughter of No One ended and since it’s a trilogy, get ready for an open ending. Whereas I was completely taken aback by the ending of the first instalment, this one arrived more organically. Or maybe I was more prepared. Either way, the element of surprise of book 1 wasn’t as predominant here. While it took me a little time to get back into the atmosphere and the adventure (not the book’s fault, my memory sucks and I had to reacquaint myself with the characters), once I was in I enjoyed it as much as Daughter of No One.
Now that she knows the world is not as she was told growing up in the shelter of the royal palace, Princess Aurelia Diarmaid is determined to make things right and the first step of that journey is to help Jastyn Cipher get the cure to her sister’s mystery illness. Jastyn has painfully embraced the Odium child label she’s been stuck with from birth because of her mother’s unmarried status at the time. Now everything she thought she knew about herself and who her absent father was has been blown away. And her growing feelings for the princess are not helping her confidence… Add the Dark Fae’s threat to the mix and what a journey it is!
I wrote in my review for the previous book that one of the reasons I love YA/NA fantasy is that it’s “full of exciting adventure and the promise of romance. It’s sweet, fresh and hopeful.” It proves true again with Broken Reign. Sam Ledel has created a fascinating and at times terrifying world, filled with elves, sirens, selkies, wood nymphs and many more. As delightfully disorienting as it is, there are, here and there, allusions to power dynamics and political and societal issues of the real world. Nothing emphatic, just enough to make the struggle familiar.
As usual, what matters most to me are the characters and whether their actions and decisions make sense. Jastyn’s lingering inability to tell Aurelia about the “noble sacrifice” needed for the cure could have been excruciatingly annoying but the author manages to make her concerns and distress plausible. As are Aurelia’s growth, her new-found awareness of the world, her willingness to do better. Going on this journey with both young women and their fellow travellers still has this fresh and exciting quality, all the more so as new characters joined the story, some just as intriguing. I am very much looking forward to knowing more about Keeva and Donovan, the mischievous twins from the Kingdom of Uterni, for example. Book 3, The Princess and the Odium, is announced for next spring, so just a little more patience…
I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Now that she knows the world is not as she was told growing up in the shelter of the royal palace, Princess Aurelia Diarmaid is determined to make things right and the first step of that journey is to help Jastyn Cipher get the cure to her sister’s mystery illness. Jastyn has painfully embraced the Odium child label she’s been stuck with from birth because of her mother’s unmarried status at the time. Now everything she thought she knew about herself and who her absent father was has been blown away. And her growing feelings for the princess are not helping her confidence… Add the Dark Fae’s threat to the mix and what a journey it is!
I wrote in my review for the previous book that one of the reasons I love YA/NA fantasy is that it’s “full of exciting adventure and the promise of romance. It’s sweet, fresh and hopeful.” It proves true again with Broken Reign. Sam Ledel has created a fascinating and at times terrifying world, filled with elves, sirens, selkies, wood nymphs and many more. As delightfully disorienting as it is, there are, here and there, allusions to power dynamics and political and societal issues of the real world. Nothing emphatic, just enough to make the struggle familiar.
As usual, what matters most to me are the characters and whether their actions and decisions make sense. Jastyn’s lingering inability to tell Aurelia about the “noble sacrifice” needed for the cure could have been excruciatingly annoying but the author manages to make her concerns and distress plausible. As are Aurelia’s growth, her new-found awareness of the world, her willingness to do better. Going on this journey with both young women and their fellow travellers still has this fresh and exciting quality, all the more so as new characters joined the story, some just as intriguing. I am very much looking forward to knowing more about Keeva and Donovan, the mischievous twins from the Kingdom of Uterni, for example. Book 3, The Princess and the Odium, is announced for next spring, so just a little more patience…
I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 28, 2021
EDIT 2021 : It's gotten better, although it would've been fun to have the twins join the group on their mission. They seemed fun.
Broken Reign is an enjoyable follow up to Daughter of No One.
The character growth in Aurelia is shown in every encounter and new experience she has with her group of friends. She may have been sheltered for most of her life, but she holds her own with Jastyn & Co. It was pleasing to see Jastyn finally admitting out loud what she feels towards Aurelia.
Also, the Red One's riddle states, "a noble sacrifice" it didn't say, the cure required a noble TO sacrifice. It's so annoying when my favourite characters hurt each other over silly misunderstandings. When the final book in The Odium Trilogy comes out, I'm reading each book again so the story just flows for me.
Is it April, 2021 yet?
Broken Reign is an enjoyable follow up to Daughter of No One.
The character growth in Aurelia is shown in every encounter and new experience she has with her group of friends. She may have been sheltered for most of her life, but she holds her own with Jastyn & Co. It was pleasing to see Jastyn finally admitting out loud what she feels towards Aurelia.
Also, the Red One's riddle states, "a noble sacrifice" it didn't say, the cure required a noble TO sacrifice. It's so annoying when my favourite characters hurt each other over silly misunderstandings. When the final book in The Odium Trilogy comes out, I'm reading each book again so the story just flows for me.
Is it April, 2021 yet?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 9, 2020
This is the second of the Odium trilogy that started with Daughter of No One. This one has Jastyn and crew racing to find the cure for Jastyn's sister's illness. If they don't get to the location, pass the test, and return with the medicine in time, Jastyn's sister will die. It is hampered by the fact that they are also fleeing their home kingdom after the death of Princess Aurelia's brother. Jastyn is still working through her hatred of Aurelia's family, who implemented cruel, bigoted laws that left Jastyn and her family pariahs.
That's much of what happens for most of the book - Jastyn is tormented by the fact that she still feels the sting of hate for being born an Odium - a person who is part fae - and her growing feelings for the perky, beautiful princess Aurelia. It also turns out that the test to receive the medicine for Jastyn's sister may involve sacrificing Aurelia, which is something Jastyn is increasingly torn about. It makes for a much faster adventure, as they are doing more, and interacting with more of the world. A couple of highlights include an encounter with mysterious twins from another kingdom, the crew getting captured and having to stay with a selkie clan, and a man who is half pooka. All this gave the world some needed brightness and hope, because I think, while I liked the first book, it was a little to dreary for me.
If anything, I think this is an excellent new adult fantasy series. But I think what kind of bothered me throughout this book was the characters' focus on the riddle they have to solve. For as smart and resourceful as they all are, even the naive Aurelia, got hung up on only one possible answer and stuck with it. It caused Jastyn no small amount of mental anguish, especially since it involved Aurelia and their eventual fight about it felt more like a plot device than a fight that should have happened. I know that Jastyn has problems communicating, and that Aurelia had to do a lot of the emotional lifting when they were starting their relationship, but I just didn't like the timing of it. Also, when Jastyn was able to gather her courage to talk about Aurelia about the riddle and the medicine, something always got in the way. It got a little too convenient.
The third book is shaping up to be a doozy, and I look forward to seeing how this wraps up.
I received this ARC in exchange for my opinion.
That's much of what happens for most of the book - Jastyn is tormented by the fact that she still feels the sting of hate for being born an Odium - a person who is part fae - and her growing feelings for the perky, beautiful princess Aurelia. It also turns out that the test to receive the medicine for Jastyn's sister may involve sacrificing Aurelia, which is something Jastyn is increasingly torn about. It makes for a much faster adventure, as they are doing more, and interacting with more of the world. A couple of highlights include an encounter with mysterious twins from another kingdom, the crew getting captured and having to stay with a selkie clan, and a man who is half pooka. All this gave the world some needed brightness and hope, because I think, while I liked the first book, it was a little to dreary for me.
If anything, I think this is an excellent new adult fantasy series. But I think what kind of bothered me throughout this book was the characters' focus on the riddle they have to solve. For as smart and resourceful as they all are, even the naive Aurelia, got hung up on only one possible answer and stuck with it. It caused Jastyn no small amount of mental anguish, especially since it involved Aurelia and their eventual fight about it felt more like a plot device than a fight that should have happened. I know that Jastyn has problems communicating, and that Aurelia had to do a lot of the emotional lifting when they were starting their relationship, but I just didn't like the timing of it. Also, when Jastyn was able to gather her courage to talk about Aurelia about the riddle and the medicine, something always got in the way. It got a little too convenient.
The third book is shaping up to be a doozy, and I look forward to seeing how this wraps up.
I received this ARC in exchange for my opinion.
April 27, 2021
I enjoyed the journey to the to find the cure needed to save Jestyn’s sister. We get to meet so many wonderful creatures! I love the world building and adventure of book two. Feelings between Aurelia and Jastyn continue to grow and deepen. I love them and can’t wait to see what book three has in store for us.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 1, 2020
Review excerpted from my blog post over at Pan/Cis LGBT2SQ+ Romance Reviews (https://pancis.wordpress.com/2020/11/...)
Overall Rating: 4.0 stars
Library recommendation: Recommended for public library LGBT2SQ+ romance collections.
Warning: Hereafter, you chance spoilers. I will try never to reveal major plot points, but to review any book, you must reveal some parts of the story.
__________________
Number of titles I have read by this author: 2
Love story speed: Slow burn, continued from first book
Relationship dynamics: The Outcast (h1) / The Princess (h2)
Sexual content: A smidge; off-page with kissing on-page and only vague allusions to “the act” itself
Gender Identity: Cis (h1) / Cis (h2)
Sexual Identity: Lesbian (h1) ; not self-declared (h2), but Lesbian is implied
Triggers: “Racial” marriage laws; ostracization of “mixed” children born out of wedlock
Acceptance Rating: 5.0 stars
Acceptance Rating Explanation: Love is love. The caveat to this is that, from an overall diversity standpoint, I would rate this as a 3.0 in terms of acceptance.
Grammar/Editing: My ARC had a couple of typos, omitted punctuation and words, and word choice issues, but nothing too problematic.
Review: This series is definitely new adult in tone, and would also be accessible to an older young adult audience. Because this book picks up right where the previous book leaves off, and the third book will do the same, I recommend that you read this series in order. In terms of pacing, I found this narrative to be fairly slow in places with bursts of action scattered throughout. The series is set in a fantasy realm featuring Fae and elemental magic, with most characters having at least some control of fire (generally used as a personal light source). The first book includes a map for reference, but that map is not included in the second book, so you may want to have the first book nearby for reference, particularly given that descriptions of travel are given in terms of time rather than distance covered (e.g. hours, days, nights, moons).
As in the first book, Jastyn and Aurelia are the central characters in this narrative. Tentative is the best word that I can use to describe their relationship. Both are attracted, but reluctant to make any false steps. Their approach to their relationship comes from a place of uncertainty and naivety not typically seen in more mature adult characters, and I think that this is what makes the series feel more YA/NA in tone. The narrative also hinges on the “Big Bad Secret” trope (that every character except one partner in the relationship knows) so if this isn’t something you enjoy, this book, and this series, might not be for you. The supporting characters largely consist of individuals introduced in the first book. While the more significant supporting characters are fairly well developed, the more minor characters tend toward archetypal fantasy characters. That being said, there is still one book left in the series, so I expect that fuller development will be forthcoming.
Full disclosure: I received a free advance review copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Overall Rating: 4.0 stars
Library recommendation: Recommended for public library LGBT2SQ+ romance collections.
Warning: Hereafter, you chance spoilers. I will try never to reveal major plot points, but to review any book, you must reveal some parts of the story.
__________________
Number of titles I have read by this author: 2
Love story speed: Slow burn, continued from first book
Relationship dynamics: The Outcast (h1) / The Princess (h2)
Sexual content: A smidge; off-page with kissing on-page and only vague allusions to “the act” itself
Gender Identity: Cis (h1) / Cis (h2)
Sexual Identity: Lesbian (h1) ; not self-declared (h2), but Lesbian is implied
Triggers: “Racial” marriage laws; ostracization of “mixed” children born out of wedlock
Acceptance Rating: 5.0 stars
Acceptance Rating Explanation: Love is love. The caveat to this is that, from an overall diversity standpoint, I would rate this as a 3.0 in terms of acceptance.
Grammar/Editing: My ARC had a couple of typos, omitted punctuation and words, and word choice issues, but nothing too problematic.
Review: This series is definitely new adult in tone, and would also be accessible to an older young adult audience. Because this book picks up right where the previous book leaves off, and the third book will do the same, I recommend that you read this series in order. In terms of pacing, I found this narrative to be fairly slow in places with bursts of action scattered throughout. The series is set in a fantasy realm featuring Fae and elemental magic, with most characters having at least some control of fire (generally used as a personal light source). The first book includes a map for reference, but that map is not included in the second book, so you may want to have the first book nearby for reference, particularly given that descriptions of travel are given in terms of time rather than distance covered (e.g. hours, days, nights, moons).
As in the first book, Jastyn and Aurelia are the central characters in this narrative. Tentative is the best word that I can use to describe their relationship. Both are attracted, but reluctant to make any false steps. Their approach to their relationship comes from a place of uncertainty and naivety not typically seen in more mature adult characters, and I think that this is what makes the series feel more YA/NA in tone. The narrative also hinges on the “Big Bad Secret” trope (that every character except one partner in the relationship knows) so if this isn’t something you enjoy, this book, and this series, might not be for you. The supporting characters largely consist of individuals introduced in the first book. While the more significant supporting characters are fairly well developed, the more minor characters tend toward archetypal fantasy characters. That being said, there is still one book left in the series, so I expect that fuller development will be forthcoming.
Full disclosure: I received a free advance review copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
September 3, 2020
This great fantasy read.
Jastyn is on a mission to find cure to saves her sister Alanna what she didn’t count on is Princess Aurelia joining her and her best friend acorns on this quest.
Princess Aurelia knows her life is more then being trapped in her castle but she didn’t expect her freedom would cause her brother death. Aurelia knows this might be her only chance to see the world.
As they go on this adventure they are met with interference from humans and magic creatures alike but as their feelings grow Jastyn is keeping a secret that might destroy them more then what troubles coming for them.
Love it it has magic intrigue and love.
I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.
Jastyn is on a mission to find cure to saves her sister Alanna what she didn’t count on is Princess Aurelia joining her and her best friend acorns on this quest.
Princess Aurelia knows her life is more then being trapped in her castle but she didn’t expect her freedom would cause her brother death. Aurelia knows this might be her only chance to see the world.
As they go on this adventure they are met with interference from humans and magic creatures alike but as their feelings grow Jastyn is keeping a secret that might destroy them more then what troubles coming for them.
Love it it has magic intrigue and love.
I received an ARC copy of this book from the Publisher via Netgalley and voluntarily leaving my review.
January 19, 2022
I was so happy to return to Jastyn and Aurelia’s world, and to watch as their relationship grows despite the obstacles in their path. I love all the mystical creatures that populate this magical world, and it’s easy to escape into it. Aurelia has changed so much from book one, no longer the sheltered princess she once was. Jastyn’s inner turmoil really helped us get to know her better, and I loved how big her heart is. The group of characters as a whole were well-developed, but you’ll definitely need to read book one to understand everything going on. I can’t wait to dive into book three and find out how this all wraps up!
March 23, 2021
I thought the first book was good, but this one is even better. The relationship between Aurelia and Jastyn grows, the worldbuilding is expanded and we get to meet some very interesting new characters. The only thing I didn't like about "Broken Reign" is that it wasn't longer. And I have to say that after that ending I'm really happy that the third book comes out next month!
September 24, 2025
Excellent fantasy sequel, with a treacherous journey and a fun cast of characters. There's also a sweet slow-burn romance at the heart of this story, which I absolutely adore. And, of course, it ends on a cliffhanger that sets up book 3, which I've already ordered!
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews