Ashwood and Brimstone

by E.A. Olivieri

Princess Evalina has endured much to ascend to the Isidian throne; now, an occult abomination threatens to bring an end to the High Elves altogether.

In the Kingdom of Isidia, Homeland of the High Elves naturally blessed with Healing magic, the Widowed Queen has kept a tight leash on her only daughter and heir – until she is forced to realise that Evalina is Isidia’s only hope against a new enemy.
With no experience in the world outside her castle, Evalina enlists the help of the well-travelled Thanatos, the Dark Elven Prince of Osiria – where all are cursed with the power of Death.
Together, the two embark on a perilous journey into the wider land of Carynthia; all the while, Evalina is plagued by strange and horrific nightmares.
Can Evalina and Thanatos see past their peoples' turbulent histories and work together to defeat a common enemy?
And with his Princess absent, will Lorkin, Captain of the Isidian Royal Guard, be able to pick up the pieces of their Kingdom with a deteriorating Queen and defend the land from the horde of the dead?

Genres: Fantasy, Ebooks, Romance

519 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 13, 2022

Reviews

[Jo-Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ashwood and Brimstone is a darker epic fantasy set in the world of Carynthia, where humans and elves coexist. It is a multi-POV story with Princess Evalina as our main protagonist. We also get to see through the eyes of the Dark Elven Prince Thanatos and Evalina's captain of the guard, Lorkin. When a dark presence threatens their world, Evalina must work with Thanatos to defeat this new foul enemy. I thoroughly enjoyed Ashwood and Brimstone. Olivieri's writing style is engaging and descriptive, making it easy to picture the vivid world she has created. The characters are well-developed; Evalina and Thanatos both struggle with their duties and how they are received in the wider world. I really liked how both grew throughout the book. The action scenes are thrilling, and the mystery of who this new enemy is kept me guessing to the very end. I need book 2 yesterday! If you're looking for a new fantasy series, then definitely pick this one up.

[Franccesca (franccescareads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was get excited whenever I get an ARC. I’m happy the author sent me one and also to know the book was extremely good.

This book has an extreme world building. When it comes to High Fantasy I find it to be necessary and here it really was. You have so many kinds of elves, humans, orcs, goblins, etc. It’s quite amazing. And the map! I loved it.

I got some “Sleeping Beauty” vibes from Evie. But to know she isn’t some weak princess, was refreshing. She knows how to fight and defend herself, is very opinionated and wants to make the world a better place (even though she doesn’t actually know anything more than her castle). And then we have Prince Thanatos, so mysterious. He isn’t your typical prince and even as we get to know him, I feel there’s more to him. The relationship of theirs evolves so easily and the chemistry they have, I loved it. It’s easy, sincere and real.

The first half is a bit slow, but just as every fantasy book you have to give it time to actually get into the story/plot. The writing is alright, the characters are really honest and the multiple POVS is genius. There’s some plot twists that I honestly didn’t see coming! And it was great to see how the author made everything click and make sense.

Can’t wait for the second book

[Rachel Langtry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing storytelling

After spending years in an SJM slump, and finding it difficult to read stories that didn’t quite capture the same attention I have for her own words, I can confidently say this story has helped brought me back to wanting to take a chance and read other works.
I cannot wait for the next book in the series to be released so that I can go on another adventure with Evie and Than and learn about the rush histories and culture of the elves and humans in this world.
This story is a must read for anyone wanting a slow burn love and a strong female protagonist.

[R.A. Howes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC copy of this book. So I assume that a few minor things may have changed. Also, in full transparency, the author is a friend. In saying that, this is the first dark fantasy I have enjoyed in a long time. The characters, world and plot were satisfying enough to keep me reading but left me enough questions to make book 2 an essential read when it's released.

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Does this author have a hair fetish? Nearly every page had a mention of the main characters hair, the hair of side characters, animal hair and so on. I will say I enjoyed a strong female lead for a change, instead of the soft idiot women in most fantasy. I’m glad to be done with it.

[Hanna (lapetiteboleyn) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This really took me back to everything I loved about fantasy when I was growing up. It's a huge world, and although Emily could happily have left Lorcan's chapters out without losing any of the story, I really respect the fact that she wanted to give us the widest possible view of her world.
It was slow to get into, but once I was there I was hooked. Definitely give it a go if you're a fan of Jennifer Armentrout or Carissa Broadbent!

[Morgan Minson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Super fun read. I had all the emotions while reading this book. I love the storyline and characters, and the romance. I was emotionally wrecked from this book, so be warned! Can’t wait for the second!

Helped me get over my Onyx Storm hangover. But now I have a new series to obsess over!

Perfect if you like dark, epic fantasies with a slow burn romance. & plot twists!

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is great and I can't believe it isn't getting more attention. The world building is fantastic and although the characters do alot of travelling (which I'm normally not a huge fan off) its written well which makes this book a very easy read. I like the plot and the characters. It was nice having a strong baddass female lead who ISN'T a red headed 18 year old and a MMC who has a senstive side. I'm so excited for the next book. Would 100% recommend.

[Aussieindiereads · Rating 4 out of 5]

" The world is so full of hate , despite the peace, I believe you can chance that. But first you have to choose."

I'm lost for words. This book for me was like a movie, the world building, all the characters, the plot, fighting scenes, and a little romance just enough as it's dark fantasy and I really didn't want much romance.

It was like a magic apocalypse as you had no idea where these creatures were coming from, and you were thinking all the way through this world was going to end. Then, having the huge twist/cliffhanger, at the end 😭
But don't worry, there will be another book, and I'll be first in line to grab it.

But do yourself a favour and pick this book up and read it! I need to discuss things with you.

[Hayley Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I stumbled upon Ashwood & Brimstone a couple of years ago, and I’m still thinking about it! As an avid fan of dark fantasy, I grabbed a copy to support indie authors without really knowing what to expect—and wow, it quickly became one of the best books I’ve read in years.

The plot is fresh and engaging, avoiding the typical clichés (no predictable romance or tired love triangles here). The world-building is thorough yet never overwhelming, keeping the focus on the fast-paced, gripping story. The short chapters and the multi-plotline structure were a huge bonus for me, especially since I often struggle with long, meandering narratives. As someone with ADHD, I found the quick chapter lengths and frequent perspective shifts perfect for maintaining my attention.

Plus, that cliffhanger ending left me desperate for more. I’m really hoping to see a sequel soon. If you’re a fan of dark fantasy or looking to support indie authors, I highly recommend checking out Ashwood & Brimstone. It’s a hidden gem with a unique twist on the genre.

[Victoria Wren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This is a page-turner, and I'm so truly, happy that Emily has bridged a gap in dark fantasy, for readers like myself who are quite new to the genre. The world-building here was epic, and from the moment the characters set off on their quest, this turns into a thrilling, dark, gripping adventure. There is a romance weaved into the plot, which was great, and both Evalina and Thanatos were brilliant, well fleshed-out characters, and they don't physically resemble anything I've read before in fantasy. Evalina is strong and fierce and the descriptions of her and the Prince are brilliant, I felt like I was swept up along the adventure with them. I feel like the author really thought through the character development, gave them layers and the switch up between POVs worked really well, especially the addition of Lorkin's POV. Evalina's relationship with her mother, the Queen was fractured, detached, and complicated, but at the same time, you could feel their mother-daughter bond.
I really look forward to the continuation of the series!

[SID SAPAC · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forewarning, I am an ARC reader, so I will be truly honest.

Addictive, page turner, adventure, otherworldly. These are the words that come to my mind as I read Ashwood and Brimstone by E.A. Olivieri. With a balance of a slow burn with a fast, but pleasant reading pace, I can’t but the book down.

As someone with ADHD I find myself wanting to read the next chapter right away as I am coming to the end with one. It’s an addictive high that I can’t control.

Towards the end (the last go it chapters) I found myself slowing down because I was NOT ready to say goodbye to the characters yet. Each character, scene, page and chapter was well written and vividly visualized as I was reading. Where ever the characters were, I was right there with them.

I want to thank E.A. Olivieri for writing a book I’ve been missing my whole life! If you are into dark fantasy with adventure and twist and turns, then this is the e book for you! 10/10 would highly suggest to a friend.

[P.J. Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This month I had the pleasure of reading Ashwood and Brimstone by E. A. Olivieri. I received a free Ebook copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.


TW: This book is correctly classified as dark fantasy. It contains profanity, death/murder, death of a child/infant (this is key to plot and is not done in excess), descriptions of violence/gore/torture, descriptions of battle and killing, discrimination, alcohol use, and on-page sex/sexual acts.


SYNOPSIS:
Welcome to Carynthia, land of eight Kingdoms, home of magic, elves, humans, orcs, and creatures beyond your imagination. To the south stands the Queendom of Isidia, ruled by the unstable widowed Queen whose only daughter, Evalina, has formally been named Heir to the throne. Evalina is blessed with healing magic like all High-Elves, but her mother’s tight leash has kept her within the palace walls and left her naive to the outside world and ways of life—until an unthinkable enemy stumbles through the wards of their Queendom and threatens the lives of all Elf-kind. To face this new enemy, Evalina pairs up with the most unlikely ally: Prince Thanatos, a Dark-Elf from the northern Kingdom of Osiria, who is blessed with the power of death like all his people. Together, the two set off into the world to stop their common enemy, putting aside the turbulent history of their people while leaving Evalina’s best friend and ex-lover, Captain Lorkin, to keep Isidia safe. But as Evalina travels further and further from home, she realizes there is more going on than meets the eye and that the nightmares which plague her sleep might have an even deeper meaning…


RATING: 4 stars


REVIEW:
There is a lot to unpack with this book. Between the world-building, the characters, the plot, and the romance, Olivieri layers this story like a trifle and then packages it up with a beautiful cover that will undoubtedly catch your eye. I have a lot of thoughts, some of which I won’t go into details on because I refuse to give out spoilers, so you’ll need to read the book yourself to know what I mean, but let’s start with the cover.

It’s gorgeous, and I love it.

I’m always interested in book covers, and I always make a note of the ones that I like and who designed them. In the case of this book, Olivieri designed the cover herself—confirming that her skills are not just limited to writing but in fact span across multiple mediums. In addition to the beauty of the cover, there is also a map included within the book detailing the lands of Carynthia. I was so happy to see the map! I love when maps are included, and I referred back to it several times throughout the book as it really helped me visualize the world and follow along on the journey.

Now onto the story… despite being over 170k words long, Ashwood and Brimstone read quickly. I finished the book in two days, and aside from a very brief window of pages, at no point does the story feel slow.

The story starts with a prologue that perfectly sets the dark tone for the rest of the book, then launches immediately into action within the first chapter. We are introduced to Princess Evalina, Heir to the Isidian throne, a High-Elf with healing magic, and a trained and capable warrior. After an argument with her mother regarding marriage leads to her wandering the woods alone, she encounters a Corse—a half-rotten human abomination of necromancy—and a decidedly tough and dangerous opponent. After Captain Lorkin tortures the creature, they uncover a plot to attack and destroy the High-Elves, and all other elves across the lands.

But of course, dead bodies wandering the land cannot be the only problem Evalina faces. Soon she learns that her mother has organized a ball in her honour, inviting royalty, both elf and human alike, to Isidia, and Prince Thanatos of Osiria has arrived early, which Evalina is not happy about. He’s a scoundrel. A handsome and clever Dark-Elf with a reputation whose motivations are unclear, especially given the history of war their kingdoms share. Years prior, Evalina’s father was murdered by Osirian pirates, which only served to drive the wedge deeper between the two kingdoms. Yet Evalina’s mother seems set to try and form a new alliance of peace.

It is during the ball that we start to learn more about the world, the politics, Evalina’s family history, and the abuse and isolation that she faced as a child. It is also where the plot begins to escalate, and even more questions are raised. Evalina has a nightmare that is far too real to be just a dream. It came with a message, and whether unwittingly or not, she finds herself following the cryptic message as she and Thanatos are assigned to scout out and eliminate the Necromancer who created the Corse. Together, the two set out into the world, and we are taken along for the ride.

Throughout the book, Olivieri makes use of multiple first-person POVs to capture the journey, and I’m glad that she did. I think it was an excellent decision, and I really liked seeing each of the perspectives that she chose, as it helped to paint a fuller picture of the story, and it definitely added some depth.

Olivieri does a wonderful job of balancing the world-building with the plot and slipping in details and descriptions amid the action. Nothing felt heavy-handed, but she doesn’t skip out on the lore either, and even though I still have more questions, I feel like the world of Carynthia is well-defined and easy to imagine. I thought the journey was well-paced, and the descriptions were vivid and imaginative. While reading, it truly felt like I was travelling, experiencing everything with the characters and exploring this incredible new world with Evalina for the first time. Each Kingdom was unique, each people’s culture different, interesting, and layered with history.

One thing I really loved was that Olivieri did not shy away from discussing the hard topics. Discrimination between races, power of the royal family, struggles of everyday people, and mental health were all either candidly talked about or touched upon, and the journey the characters faced was not easy. There were a few moments that felt ‘lucky’ or perhaps ‘plot-driven’, yet even then, Olivieri makes her characters work to survive. No one comes out unscathed, and she was not afraid to injure her characters or bring them close to the brink of death, which was yet another thing that I liked about this book.

Speaking of characters, there are a lot of them in this book, but unlike some high fantasy novels, I didn’t find it overwhelming. Olivieri did a good job of making each character distinct enough that they were memorable and recognizable. They all had a purpose, and many of them were quite compelling. Prince Thanatos is a perfect example of this. His character is immediately engaging, his motive unclear, and his confident and almost casual attitude at times was a pleasant contrast to Evalina. I loved watching his personality unfold while learning more about his Kingdom, his family, and his people. Rangkar, Thrasos, Sevah, Mother, and Ambrosia are easily my other top favourites. I found them all fascinating for different reasons, especially Rangkar and Sevah, and I am looking forward to learning more about them.

I did struggle with Evalina’s character a bit.

Despite spending so much of the book within her head, I struggled to get on her wavelength. She seemed to resent the formalities of royalty, except for the times that suited her to remind Captain Lorkin of how he needed to treat her. She longed to leave her Queendom, hated being left in the dark, and actively complained about not knowing what was going on. Yet she often seemed happy to stick her head in the sand and withheld information that could be critical to her mission’s success. She was aware that Prince Thanatos was keeping secrets which involved her, but she actively told him not to tell her—only to turn around and be mad about it later and hold him accountable for it. She flip-flopped so often that I struggled to understand her actions at times, and it left me feeling like she had no idea what she wanted and that her own personal narration was a bit unreliable in nature.

That said, I understand that she is likely a bit socially stunted due to what happened in her childhood, and she had no real experience with what she endured throughout the book. So from that perspective, I guess I can understand her character being the way that she was, but I am curious to see how she grows in the second book.


CONCLUSION:
Olivieri creates an intriguing world filled with vibrant characters and creatures that will leave you wanting to know more. Overall, I thought that the story was engaging, the world was believable, and the magic and lore were interesting. I have a lot of questions about Carynthia’s history, Evalina’s dreams, and, of course, the ending—which if you read this book, you will understand what I mean when I say… I think a few characters are going to be put in some difficult situations with real moral implications, and I am super curious to see how it pans out.

I like that the book did not conclude every aspect of the story. Olivieri did a great job of keeping some very important cards in her hand and not playing them, and I am eager to see what she does in future works and how she will grow her characters in the face of what’s to come.


RECOMMENDED AUDIENCE:
This book would be an excellent fit for anyone who enjoys high fantasy adventure stories within a dark and brutal world. I would also recommend it to fans of horror due to the spooky elements of the book, and to those who like stories that don’t shy away from the brutality of war. It would also be an excellent fit for anyone who enjoys paranormal thrillers and slow-burn romance!

This book would not be appropriate for anyone under the age of 18 due to the mature content included within the story. This book is classified as ‘new adult’ for a reason and is appropriately age-rated on Amazon. While I personally do not feel that anything within this book was done in excess for the sake of it, and it is less graphic than plenty of other content on TV, I do encourage you to read the ‘Trigger Warnings’ listed above as everyone’s tolerances are different.


DETAILS:
Author: E. A. Olivieri
Publisher: E. A. Olivieri
Page count: 596
Publication date: First published April 13, 2022.
Available in ebook and paperback format

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’d like to preface this review by declaring that I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This exchange has not influenced my scoring of the book.

With that out of the way, let’s dive into Ashwood and Brimstone by E.A. Olivieri.

Alright, where to start?

I first spotted this book all over TikTok, and the premise immediately hooked me:
“Princess Evalina has endured much to ascend to the Isidian throne; now, an occult abomination threatens to bring an end to the High Elves altogether.”

This alone sounds like an excellent setup — princesses, high elves, and occult shenanigans. I went in expecting plenty of magic, maybe a princess who could hold her own, and, since it’s TikTok, probably a touch of spice for good measure.

It was with quite some enthusiasm that I dove in, expecting good things.
Hel, was I disappointed.

The story opens with a lovely prologue — a traveler entering foreign lands, greeted with fear and hostility. There’s a beautiful sense of restraint and melancholy in the writing, the quiet sadness of someone who’s seen too much. It’s a strong opening, and I loved it.

Then the main story begins — and that’s where the cracks start to show. The book reads a bit like a checklist of fantasy tropes: Scene 1, introduce the protagonist in her everyday life, hinting at something missing.

And sure enough, we meet Evalina as she watches her mother eat. Not the most thrilling beginning, especially after that excellent prologue.

The pattern continues: the castle tour, the lingering old flame, the obligatory inciting incident involving the abominations. There’s a surprise ball, a surprise “sworn enemy” (who of course has dark skin, white hair, and playboy energy), and a surprise room assignment — conveniently right next to the princess. Because yes, apparently foreign dignitaries just get the royal wing now.

The pacing felt uneven; events unfolded slowly, and the supposed “sworn enemies to lovers” dynamic lacked heat or tension. Their motivation was flimsy — they weren’t really enemies, just mildly inconvenienced acquaintances.

That said, I want to highlight what the book does beautifully. The portrayal of mental illness, particularly one character’s delusional episodes and shifting personality, was handled with genuine care. The pain, the confusion, and the emotional fallout for those left behind felt raw and real. Those moments showed what the author is capable of when the focus tightens.

In the end, I chose to DNF (did not finish) when I realized I kept picking up other books instead. I don’t think this is a bad book — it just needs stronger pacing, clearer stakes, and a bit more spark between its leads.

If you love high-fantasy court settings, slow-burn stories, and explorations of grief and trauma, you might still find value here — but for me, the fire just never caught.

[AshleyReadsThings · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐3.5
🌶️1.5

This book starts off rather slow-paced. It takes a decent chunk of the book until we finally get onto the adventure portion of the fantasy. The beginning is a lot of fluff where we are bombarded with information, some important, some not. You learn about the world, familial connections, the races; I found all those important. I, however, would lose interest when we started talking about what someone was wearing and going into detail every time they changed an outfit or did something to their hair. This was pretty heavy in the beginning of the book and did lighten up a significant bit the closer we got to the end. I am an action girly. I want to feel like the plot is developing, not like we are taking an ad break in between big scenes. I enjoyed the book enough that I will continue the series when book two releases, but I'm not completely ravenous over what I read because it took about 24% of this book for me to be fully engrossed in it. And with how chunky this book, that was a lot to read through to finally get locked in.

This book is a multi-POV story mostly following Princess Evaline and Prince Thanatos. You get a couple of chapters from the Captain of the Isidian royal guard to fill you in on what's happening in the Princess's homeland during high tension moments in the plot.

Princess Evalina has never left the Kingdom of Isidia. Her mother kept her locked away from the world, sort of like a Mother Gothel moment, but not in the sense that she stole the girl, moreso, she was grieving the loss of her husband and was mentally unwell. And she unhealthily didn't want anything to happen to her child. When the dead start to show up threatening elven kind, Princess Evalina volunteers to seek out and destroy the necromancer..with Prince Thanatos as her guide. He's the logical choice given the circumstances. A treaty was just formed between their people; he's well-traveled, and he did just propose that she see the world, and he would go with her. Their people have a very sore history together and perhaps this might strengthen wrongs from the past as well. But that is just one problem Princess Evalina faces; she's also now having nightmares. But these nightmares are not normal and she doesn't come out of them unharmed. Not only do they have to find and take out the necromancers; she needs to figure out what these strange nightmares are trying to tell her and whether or not they are connected.

What You Can Expect:
📖Tangled meets the Witcher
📖Slow Burn
📖Necromancy
📖Unlikely Allies
📖Magic and Chaos
📖Dark High Fantasy
📖High Stakes
📖Mental & Chronic Illness Rep

And that CLIFFHANGER!

Thank you to Ingram Spark for the gifted copy!

[R.E. Admore · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the author wrote on social media, this is a Witcher meets Tangled, and I'll add meets zombie apocalypse. This book had many things I like to read in a fantasy. The world is huge and inhabited by many different creatures and humans, all with unique cultures. There is political intrigue, secrets, enemies to lovers, a quest to find someone who wants the world of elves destroyed (why?), slowish burn, forced proximity and more!

I loved the mystery of a wraith visiting the dreams of the FMC and that the dreams can manifest physically and even in a deadly way, which was really spooky to me. This mystery gets deeper and deeper as the story unfolds and ancient legends and history is revealed. This was as enjoyable for me as was the main quest with its battle scenes. The ending was a spectacular twist. It wasn't an abrupt cliffhanger but rather an exciting beginning of the next book in the series.

The MMC was multidimensional. He is strong when he has to be but has a soft center and is willing to sacrifice himself for others without hesitation. Of course, he comes with his own secrets and this adds a whole other dimension to the story.

One of the elements I like in fantasy is the portrayal of diverse cultures and their traditions. Although the different cultures often collided and were distrustful of each other, every culture was treated with respect. This was no surprise as the book starts out with the author honoring her own land and its indigenous people. Any author who has that sensitivity and broad view of the world is capable of producing a work that transmits that warmth and understanding to the reader, and that's the kind of author I enjoy reading.

[Christen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Full disclosure: the author posted a tiktok asking about getting reviews as an Indie author. I offered to read and review this book, but was not compensated in any way.


This needs more and less at the same time. It has an interesting enough main conflict, but it severely lacks in character development. It you like non-stop action, you'll be pleased. It barely ever stops. The characters don't catch their breath and therefore the romance lacks, the family dynamics lack, and the villian-who should be compelling- just lacks. The secret of the arranged marriage was just so meh. The secret twin brother was meh. There is zero spice. The love triangle is weak.

Please label the POV chapters! I was checking whose chapter it was over and over and over.

It isn't all bad. A strong, capable female main character is great. Love that. It's interesting how they deal with mental illness- something not often even addressed in fantasy books. A disabled heir is another troupe I don't see frequently and added interest.

[Kerry Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

This turned into a good read. Although the author doesn’t pitch it as a romance, the foundations for a love triangle are paved early on, which I don’t mind as I enjoy this trope.
Although if you are looking for a romance this isn’t one for you as the romance is for sure a subplot.

The main story line is the quest and early on it was giving me Lord of the Rings vibes. What with the journey through varied lands, the descriptions of the landscapes and the characters like elves, orcs etc

Then the events in the dream happened around page 235 and literally put me in tail spin, and I was on the edge of my seat to see if the author was going to turn this story on its head and in a mind mending direction.

I also loved how fairy’s are depicted in the narrative - very cool.

It’s lengthy but a goodie

[Deborah DN · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for the ARC copy.

When a dark force threatens her people and her world, Princess Evalina must go on a quest to kill this new foe.
She was sheltered for the world most of her life so she will need a guide, someone she never would have thought of. A Dark Elf.
Will they succeed in their mission? Will the treaty hold? Which secrets will she unearth along the way?

This book was so well written, a lot of world building.
This is a multiple POV story in which we follow Evalina, Thanatos and Lorkin.
The characters are well thought out and have a lot of growth during the story.

The only minor peeve i had was that the ending dragged a bit but it is worth it !

One of the better books i have read this year, i can’t wait for the next one !

[Anita Cunningham · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars!!!

This book was intriguing enough to keep me reading. The world building was great as was the character development. If you are looking for a spicy romance this is not the one. The romance is more of a subplot which I actually enjoyed. I have read many lengthy books that kept me captivated throughout but this one fell short for me which is the reason for the 3.5 stars. I found myself getting a little bored at times and skimming because I felt as though it was never going to end. The cliffhanger definitely has me wanting to know what happens next so I will definitely be reading the next book in the series.

[LauraInRapture · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked this up while in a bit of a reading slump and I have to say it's pulled me right out of it!

Loved the presence of a strong female main character who, while a bit naive, easily holds her own in any fight!

The character development is well laid out and I loved learning more as the book went on.

My only complaint is that the pace of the book is maybe a little off. It feels like nothing happens and then suddenly it's non stop action which leaves not a lot of space for a good telling of the relationship building.

Apart from this, I thoroughly enjoyed this read and am desperately awaiting book 2+

[Loz]

Unfortunately I DNFed this one at 19%.

Although I generally enjoyed the characters I realised I was 115 pages in and nothing had really happened - we were still on the build up. The main plot (the necromancy) had only been discussed in chapter 1 and a small comment in a paragraph after that, the rest was a really slow, not that emotional, romance love triangle which isn't why I picked up the book and not what I was promised.

I am really upset because if this had been more focused on the zombies a bit more I definitely would have been more interested.

[Frances June · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book! It took me a while to read it because, in the author's own words, it's a CHONK! But I enjoyed the world building - it never felt forced. The two main characters are compelling and their relationship is enough to keep you hooked! I did feel like there wasn't as much need for the third POV, but it was only because I loved the other characters a lot more! :P

If you enjoy epic fantasy this is the book for you! Can't wait to see what happens next - the cliff hanger GOT ME!!!

[Michelle Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

enjoyable read

I found this author on TikTok and I am glad that I did.
Evie is strong willed but sheltered and goes o the adventure of her life.
Thanatos is the misunderstood "bad guy" who is a perfect match for her.
I really enjoyed the banter and the cast of characters that we were introduced to.
I can't wait to see what the next book brings.

[Pippa Steele · Rating 4 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book but I'm so annoyed by the ending! I wanted the reconciliation! I read so diligently for it! I deserve it!

*Sigh*

Great story though. Lovely characters and world building. Blah blah blah...

*Sulks in a cool library in a pointy castle*

[MrsMonnock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kept me guessing

I never once saw that ending coming. I really enjoy the enemy to lovers trope. Many times I was terrified for them on this journey. Looking forward to the next one.

[Kirsten Pringle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing

Absolutely loved this book, what a cliff hanger hoping there will be a second book coming soon cannot wait to see what happens

[R.R. Mangold · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun read. If you are in the mood for high fantasy with enemies to lovers on an epic journey... then read this. I can't wait for the next one.

[Leece · Rating 1 out of 5]

I dnf'd. Not the books fault really, it's just I'm not into this kind of fantasy.

[Lynda Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5