Daindreth's Outlaw

Daindreth's Assassin #2

by Elisabeth Wheatley

She broke her curse, but can they break his?

Amira Brindonu has done the impossible—she broke her own curse and rescued the imperial archduke from Empress Vesha’s witchcraft. Saving the man she loves should have been a good thing, but by doing so, Amira has upset the delicate pact between the cythraul demons of the Dread Marches and the Erymayan Empire, with far-reaching consequences she and Daindreth can only begin to understand.

Now Amira and Daindreth are outlaws on the run. Their list of allies grows slim and their chances of outrunning Vesha’s agents even slimmer. They soon have no choice but to seek help from those who first cursed Daindreth’s father—the banished Istovari sorceresses.

Amira is willing to do anything to free Daindreth from his curse—even bargain with the women who once offered her as a human sacrifice—but it soon becomes clear that she will not be the only one to face the cost.

Every curse can be broken, but the price of breaking this one might be too high. Countless innocent lives across the empire are at stake, forcing Amira and Daindreth to decide just what—and who—they are willing to risk for a chance at freedom.

Daindreth’s Outlaw is the sequel to Daindreth’s Assassin, continuing the story of the assassin who falls for the archduke she was sent to kill. Beauty and the Beast meets The Witcher in this fantasy romance that is sure to delight fans of Sarah J. Maas, Kristin Cashore, and Leigh Bardugo.

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Fiction, Audiobook, Romantasy, Magic, Adventure

289 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 28, 2022

About the author

Elisabeth Wheatley is a fantasy author because warrior princess wasn’t an option. She loves tea and asking questions.

Reviews

[Aoife - Bookish_Babbling · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

I like the adventure this took us on after where the first book ended. There were some slow'ish moments, but considerably more movement + breadcrumbs than in the previous book and more action. There were interesting fight scenes and a lot more magic; tbh I am so curious about the magic system - the hints and reveals have drawn me in 🫠

I really enjoyed the two extra PoVs we get, one considerably more so than the other but 🤐 so no spoilers 😇
We've met some interesting new characters too; and one of those I was super on the fence about in book1 has me even more confused now...trying to suss out their long-game or are they Littlefinger'esque? I kinda hope not but also 🤷‍♀️
So we shall see where that may go 🤔

The low point for me was the romantic subplot, it isn't doing much for me at this moment in time - I just don't buy a great love...still feels too insta 🫣

There's one unfortunate scene maybe around the 80% mark that hurt my cold 🖤, if you've read it and/or have had any interactions with me you'll know why but 😬😖🙊
I'll say no more so as not to risk spoilers, and no matter how much I enjoyed the epilogue and am rooting for this pleasantly unexpected partnership it's gonna be hard for me to let that intro go 🙈

Right...straight on to book3 - let's see what's next. Title is a smidge ominous but maybe it's a misdirection 😈

PS - apologies @Franlopedia ... I've pulled a *you* on our BR and sprinted ahead 🤗

[rumaysa ★ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

i had the same problems with this as the previous book. the writing was not much better, but the plot remains interesting enough for me to want to continue the series. thadred was probably the most interesting character because he’s actually getting some depth now, which is really nice!

[Teddi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Better than the last book. Worth reading through some of the cringe to get to the story. I do not recommend the audio. That might be what's killing it for me. There is frequent mispronounciation of words.

[rumi ( Baby’s version ) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 the first book was better. It was a little slow and many themes repeated a lot throughout the book. Also in the first book they kissed once and now they’re kissing each other every 5 seconds???? Interesting enough to continue to the next book

[Alise · Rating 2 out of 5]

"She's a monster in some ways," Thadred said. "But a woman too. Even a little girl at times. One moment, she looks ready to bite our heads off, and the next, she's crying in Dain's arms. I haven't really figured her out yet."  — Thadred, my cutie patootie, SAME. I can't figure Amira out in this book. What happened? 🥹 I am as lost as everyone in the Cursewood.

This was quite a contrast compared to the first book. Amira went from a strong leader to completely helpless. The further they went into the quest, the more it seemed like she was on a losing streak. Amira had this new power but had zero idea how to use it. The enemy was overpowering, and the Archduke got hit hard with a reality check.

What stays consistent is Thadred. 🤌❤️ He is just perfect for my taste. I relate to his humor, and his personality is sympathetic. I enjoy his part in thiese series. In another life, Thadred would be a solid millennial. This was the most relatable quote from him: "I'm too old for this," he muttered to himself. Twenty-seven, and already he was too old to be dashing about the forests and rescuing damsels.

To wrap this up, this was a dark and slow book. In the traveling parts, it reminded me a bit of LOTR or The Hobbit adventures. The romance part — a teasing tango that leaves hurt marks.

Nonetheless, I want to see Amira back on her strong leader track. 🤘

"You were born for a crown. One way or another." 
"Don't throw away your destiny. They'll understand why you have to do this." — THIS 🤌 is for certain, and I hope the next books will prove me right.

[Lindsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

While there was nothing wrong with this book, per se, I was not having a good time. It suffered from middle-book syndrome. It was very slow paced with lots of traveling. Lots of setting things up, but not a lot happening in and of itself, making it feel like half a book instead of a complete book. I didn't buy into the romance, both the existing and developing. I probably won't continue with the series.

Weird complaint and I realize it is probably just me, but the use of "clipped" as a dialogue tag was grating. If it had been used sparingly, maybe it would have been fine, but it was used everywhere, all the time, always. Amira clipped and Ser clipped and eventually Thandred clipped and the assassins clipped and Dain clipped. It got to be distracting after a certain point.

[Heather Malainey · Rating 3 out of 5]

felt like part of a book, not a whole book but it was a good part.

[Amanda Galbavi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one more than the first. Excited for the rest of the series.

[Sam VanSantvoord · Rating 5 out of 5]

Things I have decided about our main characters:

Amira is a horny stone cold Killa. She's really not here to fuck around and find out, she only wants to fuck around 😏.

Dain is sweet and fresh out of the oven. He's a bit of a Debbie Downer when it comes to violence *grow up* Dain how're you going to run an empire being 10 ply🤨? (But also I lub him).

Thad is just trying to survive having to witness this romance at close range. He's just about as good at chaperoning as a rake should be. He wishes he was anywhere else and with a hot bath to help his chronic pain (which no one seems to feel enough sympathy for 😂).

It has occurred to me that Daindreth and Amira are a reversal of common fantasy F/M pairing. We have Daindreth who is the 'lets use our big boy words' and Amira who is more like 'look, punch, ask'.
It took me a book and a half to really realize this, that's how well it was done.

Out: shadow daddies
In: shadow mommy

I really hope we get some character growth from Iasu 👀 I'm interested in seeing more of him and his assface exterior.

Sair, could you *be* anymore hot and cold? It's like someone just turns the kettle on and immediately turns it off. I don't know really what to make of her yet (not wholely vibing her yet) but I feel like she'll end up being a friend who busts them out of sorceress jail for sure. Bets on her kids namesake being dead anyone?

Cursewood: mmmm I felt like it wasn't cursed *enough*. We only had 1 scary in there. Should have been more scaries.

[Malin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full review of this and The Archduke: A Daindreth's Assassin novella can be found here: https://kingmagu.blogspot.com/2023/12...

[Mimi Schweid · Rating 4 out of 5]

That cliffhanger is going to haunt me until I get book 3. Damn!

This is a series I think I'm going to get progressively more tempted to buy my own copies of but we will see! I enjoy Amira, Dain & Thadred's POV throughout the story. I really didn't expect to get Thadred's POV so that was a fun addition to the story. I am a bit happy I'm going to have to pace myself with the books due to reading these through the library but man, do I want to binge read it! I'll have to get her other books eventually when they are available!

[Aless · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

I need a moment before I read this epilogue bc HOW CAN THEY JUST (REDACTED) MY BOY???? THEY KNOW DANG WELL THAT HE (REDACTED).

btw this is the traveling journey book which I'm not mad about and love for character development, and this last act has been quite good BUT HELLO???? DAIN??? AMIRA???? SAIR???? ANYBODY????

[Rachael ༊·˚ · Rating 5 out of 5]

“What do you take me for?”
“The love of my life,” Daindreth said, the words lingering between them for a long moment—a promise. “That’s what I take you for.”

I... will try to write a proper review tomorrow, if I remember to do so. But uhh, in summary: this has definitely far surpassed the (already decently high) expectations set in book 1, and definitely loved the further worldbuilding and plot development!

Oh and yay, Sair and Lleuad make their appearance :0

[Deborah · Rating 5 out of 5]

So very much excitement happening! I am very much enjoying this series! A thrilling ride of excitement and hope.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit slow in the beginning, but definitely picks up towards the last one third.

[KayteReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a bit drawn out, but not in a bad way. It was definitely interesting the whole time. I really enjoyed the whole book.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm loving how this series is going so far. And I'm sad I need to finish other books before starting the next!

[Desiree · Rating 4 out of 5]

I quite like where this series is heading to, that difficulties are difficult and not everything is solved easily and there are things that actually go wrong.
I'll definitely read on in the series

[ellie (telemachus’s version) (free palestine) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got a little bored during this one ngl

rtc!!!

[Elin Torres · Rating 4 out of 5]

This second book picks up where the first one left off with the characters on the run. I appreciated the development of the characters and the romance.

[As You Wish · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lleuad is my new favourite person and I’ll be taking no questions at this time.

[Suzyq · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not quite as compelling as book one, but still very enjoyable. This volume has the issue you often see in trilogies, where the second book is mostly about getting characters into the place they need to be for the big climax. No shame in that; even Tolkien's Lord of the Rings suffers from that in The Two Towers. I will definitely be moving onto book three.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Esther Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

this one is gripping

I started this book last night and have been trying to sneak snippets of it throughout my day. I kept telling my husband, “but I’m in a big part in the book!” Whenever I had to put it down to do anything.
Daindreth and Amira’s story is so compelling, and I cannot wait to hear more from Thadred.
These three are on a mission to petition Amira’s mothers to undo Daindreth’s curse and the journey is treacherous.
Buckle up, and if you’re like me, you should probably go ahead and buy the rest of the series now so you can devour it.

[Kit Moonstar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one moved quickly and was a transitional novel in a lot of ways, but it gave an interesting dynamic to the group. I liked the fact that we get to see the trio learn to work together, and we get to learn more about all three of the main characters. I enjoyed getting a better idea about Daindreth's thoughts and personality. We get his point of view for about half the book, and that really help flesh out things quite a bit. We also get Thadred's point of view which was fantastic. He might actually be my favorite character. Pulling all three of them out of their comfort zone definitely was a great choice for keeping things interesting.

We also get to learn more about both the world, and the backgrounds of both Amira and Thadred. There were some really interesting revelations about Thadred which I'll be interested in seeing how it develops. There's also a few new characters who I'll be interested in seeing if they play a larger role in the next book. It’s a solid series so far, and I'm looking forward to seeing where the story takes me next. Four out of five stars.

[Vanessa Luca · Rating 4 out of 5]

With this series I seem to be catching myself in a cycle of disliking things I was looking forward to and liking things I did not expect.
Let me start with the negative first, not because I didn't like the book (because I liked it) but because there are only two things: the whole book reads like an interim book. A filler story. If this was a movie, this would be the part where the introduction is over but what has actually to be done or is happening hasn't started yet.
Number two, I absolutely hated Sairydwen. And I absolutely refuse to be friends with her. I don't want to like her. Why do you want me to like her? (Now, I have started reading book 3 already and my edit is: fine. She's ok.)

About what I liked, 1) Amira is turning into this cheeky woman who knows how to make jokes with Dain and Thadred but also can be absolutely vicious. I feel this time the independent and strong woman I was promised in book 1 was appearing more and more, 2) Dain and Amira are becoming aware of the repercussions of what it means that the other person loves them. Especially Dain, knowing Amira will actually go berserk if something happens to him. I loved this. He wasn't just love struck. He learned more about her, 3) Thadred is fun. And his new pet is promising, 4) lastly, I absolutely adore that Dain and Amira have no doubt in their heart art all that first, they want to get married, second, they want kids, and Amira knows he will be a good king. I love the confidence and the acceptance. Finally not a future king who goes like "I rather travel the world" or "I only want my peace and quiet". I love it!!!

Overall, if you have the next installment, happy reading! If you don't have it yet, you better get it. Because I'm quite sure you will feel very curious to see what happens right after this book :)

[Keabo]

I'm currently at 62%, but there is one thing that is really seriously sticking in my craw. I can't get over the fact that the female main character isn't willing to accept and respect the boundaries of the person she loves. It doesn't matter who is in which position, it is never okay to pressure someone into doing something which they do not want to. Especially when it comes to intimacy.

If it was him pressuring her, it would be a huge No-No and everyone would be all up in arms. But I can't seem to find anybody talking about it with the roles being reversed. Daindreth has given her part of the reason, I can't remember if he gave her the whole reason, but even then she is not entitled to it. If he tells her no that should be it. And I cannot stand that again and again and again she keeps pressuring him and trying to coerce him into s*x when he very firmly is against it and has even given her a clear indicator of when he would be okay with it. That's apparently not enough for her.

[Erin Penn · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first book of the series kept moving and banged things out of the park with a new world, a new relationship, and new plot. I loved the strength and weaknesses of the male and female romantic leads.

In Daindreth's Outlaw, the world-building continues to expand - building for future books - revealing the cost the demons bring and discovering the absolute wonders of the Cursewoods. The political intrigue is a glorious fandance, revealing and hiding partnerships. The romance continues its slow burn.

Being second of a series, the Outlaw does suffer saggy middle syndrome. The slow burn romance doesn't move forward, in addition neither of the romantic couple have significant character development. The fantasy plotline is more about travel from the capital to seeing if they can find the sorcerers while keeping ahead of the assassins, than reaching a destination and ending resolution. Hopefully the energy will pick up next book.

Overall, when considered on its own merit, Outlaw is an okay fantasy. The Cursewoods battles and the assassination attempts keep the action up. The Romance suffered from lack of forward momentum.

Book one made book two worth reading. I'm going to try book three to see if things pickup. I don't mind okay - but I would love to return to the good-to-great of the first book.

[Ana Bugalho · Rating 4 out of 5]

Daindreth's Outlaw expands on the world-building, with rich details about the Cursewoods and intriguing political machinations. However, it suffers from "middle book syndrome," with a slower pace, minimal character development, and a romance that lacks momentum. While the travel-heavy plot drags at times, things pick up in the second half, especially with Thadred's chapters, which add depth and excitement. Though the romance is a slow burn, the evolving dynamics between Amira and Daindreth are compelling. Despite its flaws, the book sets up well for the next installment.

[2TNWalkers · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slow pace writing, by time you get to something new and exciting it’s the end of the book…not enough interest or any sexy times for me to continue with remaining 3 books