The Sword

The Mortal Fates #0.2

by J. Bree

The high fae are waging a war.

After the witches murdered the king and the queen of the Unseelie Court, the Southern Lands were left without a rightful heir on the throne. The law states I cannot be crowned until I marry my Fates-blessed mate, but the Seer has been clear about what I’m to do.

Wait.

As a pretender king rules, the War of the Witches rages on, taking no prisoners as my kingdom withers away.

The high faes’ days are numbered, but the Unseelie Court refuses to accept the danger we’re in. Instead, they drink fairy wine and dance their way to our demise. I cannot sit by and watch my people lose themselves to their own delusions of grandeur.

Our enemy may wear finery and dance amongst the Unseelie Court.

Who is involved in the plots to keep me from my throne and brand me a savage beyond repair?

Will I ever find the mate the Fates have promised me?

Or will I remain the Savage Prince, a cold and ruthless sword knowing nothing but bloodshed and ruin?


*The Sword is a MF PNR short-story prequel with material that may be difficult for some readers. It's recommended for 18+ due to language and sexual situations. It is the prequel to a three-book series coming in 2023.

Genres: Fantasy, Novella, Fae, Fantasy Romance, Romantasy, Romance, Magic

90 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 1, 2023

About the author

J Bree is a dreamer, writer, mother, and cat-wrangler.
The order of priorities changes daily.
She lives on the coast of Western Australia in a city where it rains too much. She spends her days dreaming about all of her book boyfriends, listening to her partner moan about how the lawns are looking, and being a snack bitch to her three kids.

Visit her website at http://www.jbreeauthor.com to sign up for the newsletter or find her on social media.

Reviews

[Madison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m already obsessed with Prince Soren!!
Love me a misunderstood scarred fae hottie!!

[carolina ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ☆

i found myself being more interested and curious about the plot of the first novella than of this one. nevertheless, still super excited for the book!!

[Jessica ❥Chatterbooks Book Blog❥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Scepter and The Sword have both been nice little appetizers to snack on while waiting for The Mortal Fates coming later this month. That being said, The Scepter held my attention better and felt more satisfying than this prequel about the Unseelie fae prince, Soren. Regardless, I couldn't be more excited for the first book of the The Mortal Fates series. I know J Bree is going to blow our minds like usual, and I can't wait!

[tamara ౨ৎ˚⋆ (sad bc exam season) · Rating 2 out of 5]

˖ ࣪ ⟡˚ 2 stars ˚⟡ ࣪ ˖

i found this novella pretty boring.

it was nice getting to know more about Soren, but ‘The Scepter’ was much more interesting.

[Krystal- Celestialbookdragon · Rating 5 out of 5]

I know I'm in the minority when I say this but I actually enjoyed this one more than The Scepter! We finally got to meet our mystery man and MMC, Prince Soren of the Southern Lands! 🙌🏻 We got SO MUCH world building and even more information about the war with the witches, the political games played within the Unseelie court, and the personality and upbringing of our savage prince. I enjoyed getting to understand his backstory and seeing the toll that the war is taking on not just his people but the land itself. The court politics were a lot more intricate than I ever would have guessed! Understandably so since there are apparently hundreds of princes and princesses across the kingdom with Soren's family being the overarching royal bloodline. I'm definitely looking forward to spending more time with these characters, I already love the small found family we saw with Soren, Tyton, Tauron, Roan, and Airlie and I hope that as the series continues the family expands! 🥰

Now when it comes to personality, Soren is definitely jaded and has some traits that aren't great but we can't all start off perfect otherwise there would be no room for character growth! I'm very excited to see how he and Rooke will grow as the story progresses! But given how much Soren hates witches I am so freaking excited for the explosion that will happen when he and Rooke meet. It's going to be an absolute disaster and I AM HERE FOR IT! 😈🔥👏🏻 This is going to be an INTENSE enemies to lovers story but I have faith that Rooke is going give as good as she gets given that she will have spent her time away from the Southern Lands fighting and growing stronger! Overall, this novella has me so dang hyped for The Crown of Oaths and Curses! Let the countdown to release day begin!

[bella reads fantasy · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

I enjoyed the first novella a lot more compared to this one.

We get the pov of the mysterious prince for the second and final novella leading up to the first book of the series.

It’s 200 years since he last spoke with Rooke and the war she went into has finished so they’ll be meeting soon!!

We learn about his past, his reputation and his sole mission to restore his kingdom, find his fated mate, get his throne back and reverse the curse the witches placed on his kind to not be able to reproduce and minimise their access to magic

The perspective of that all witches are evil and ‘the only good witch is a dead witch’ is really interesting when comparing it to the first novella

I really wanted some Rooke in this book but sadly for 200 years she has blocked him out of her mind but he tried to speak with her every morning regardless

The prince is your classic ‘I’m a bad guy to everyone but not to those who really know me’ kinda guy but I really want more of that reputation to be shown in the series and I’m sure it will!

Can’t wait for the first book and am devastated it got pushed back!

[☀︎El In Oz☀︎ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2/5

If J Bree wanted her hero to be boring as dust she achieved that. I don’t think we’re meant to like him, but this was just dry and boring and I don’t see how he’s very redeemable when he’s so blatantly hateful towards witches (which is what the heroine happens to be). I wanted more musings on him and what became of his mate but we got just… nothing. I appreciated the twist of the like 100 year time jump from the first novella, having both main characters be 100+ years old is a unique thing! I’ll for sure read the main books of this series when it’s done as i don’t know if I could wait to see if this man smartens up .

[Lacey (laceybooklovers) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This definitely wasn't as good as The Scepter, but mostly because it's allll about the world-building and crown politics here. I was really excited that The Sword would be Soren's POV, but this novella is mostly a setup for the world of The Mortal Fates. So yes, still necessary to read before TCOOAC, but not quite as enjoyable and the first prequel, unless you love reading about political intrigue.

[Jess | jadecanread · Rating 3 out of 5]

Second prequel novella for J Bree's upcoming new high fantasy series! This takes place 200 years after The Scepter (200 years?!?! I know the fae have long lifespans but I didn't realize witches also lived that long too).

This follows Prince Soren and his POV with what's going on in the realm. His hatred for witches is fierce, so I'm really excited to see him find out his fated mate is in-fact a witch. The enemies to lovers goodness will be great, I'm sure.

That all aside, I'm intrigued by him. He's very forward in his "I want to be a good king for my people" line of thinking. His Savage Prince persona is apparently an exaggeration believed by the masses. He does come off as a little entitled and whiny, but that's to be expected when you're the crown prince, your parents were brutally murdered when you were 16, and your asshole uncle is currently serving as Regent to the realm and is sitting on your throne.

This sufficiently introduces the MMC of the full series but also not as compelling as The Scepter was. I really hope J Bree jumps straight into things for the full series otherwise reading these two novellas would be a waste of time.

[AvidReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 🌟!

What a banging prequel! Can’t wait to read the rest of the books.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I definitely liked the first novella better but it was really interesting to see Prince Soren's POV.

I am so excited for book 1 and to see where the two characters go from here.

I am already super invested!!

-magic
-witches
-fated mates
-new adult
-fantasy
-I can already tell there will be some hate here!!!

[Thay · Rating 4 out of 5]

“She has become the woman she needed to be. Just as you are becoming the man you need to be. The Fates have blessed her the same as you have been blessed, and that is a heavy burden to carry. Patience, Prince Soren."

The Sword is the second prequel novella in The Mortal Fates series. While in The Scepter, the first novella, we had the introduction of the main female character, Rooke, in this other book we have the introduction of Soren, our male protagonist.

Prince Soren Celestial is an Unseelie Fae and the legitimate heir to the Southern Lands, but he can't assume the throne until he marries his mate. Meanwhile, Soren's uncle, Solas, has taken over as regent king. Their relationship is cold and full of masked criticism. Soren doesn't agree with the way his uncle rules and is dealing with the great war that is happening between the fae and the witches. All of this leads Soren to be impatiently waiting for the day that his mate will arrive so that, together, they can rule and finally put an end to the war. However, patience is something that Soren can't lack, since, after visiting a Seer and hearing his fate, our prince discovers that he must wait almost a thousand years to finally find his mate and get his throne. We can say that he's more grumpy than ever while he waits.

In addition, Soren had a taste of having his future lover close by, because for a few months he was able to communicate with his mate through his thoughts. Through the small moments they had together, he realized that she was very sheltered and that he'd need to help her adjust to his world. Soren also tried everything to find her before the deadline set by the Seer, but without success. All got worse when his croí simply disappeared from his head and he started to believe that she was definitely being held captive and that after he managed to find her, he'd still have to help her overcome a trauma. Little does he know that his mate is actually Rooke, a witch from the woods, his greatest enemy.

In The Sword, we have much more politics and high society schemes than in The Scepter, and because of that, many people find themselves less interested in this story. Although I liked the pacing and plot of The Scepter more, I was also able to enjoy The Sword. Soren's world is much more delicately detailed and complicated than Rooke's was in her novella, as he's the heir to the Southern Lands with an uncle who wants to steal his throne and with his kingdom at war with a barren land and heading towards extinction with no new births due to a tragic curse. The hardening of heart that Rooke goes through at the end of The Scepter, Soren has already gone through many years ago after the war against the witches began and his parents were murdered. So, our prince has already matured to face a war, but he still has a lot of room for personality development, as he's grumpy and bitter with everyone, besides having a lot of prejudice.

Finally, I can't wait to see the big meeting and the catastrophic revelation that Soren will have when he discovers that Rooke is his mate. A witch as a mate is the worst nightmare he could possibly have. We already have the announcement of the apocalypse, let's just wait with popcorn to see how this saga of hate to love develops, which I'm sure will make us feel very angry and sad, but it'll all be worth it in the end for the development of this love story that has everything to be epic and memorable!

I recommend that The Sword be read after The Scepter and before starting The Crown of Oaths and Curses, since we have more world development and especially the exposition of how the world of the male protagonist, Soren, is and how it works.

✨ RATING
- C (characters): 10/10
- A (atmosphere): 9/10
- W (writing): 10/10
- P (plot): 7/10
- I (intrigue): 7/10
- L (logic): 10/10
- E (enjoyment): 8/10
↬ TOTAL: 8.71 = ⭐⭐⭐⭐ + 0.5

💦 SPICE: NONE

🔖 TROPES:
- Fated mates
- Forbidden romance
- Hate to Love
- Character's backstory
- High Fantasy
- Witches x Fae

⚠️ Trigger Warnings: death of family and friends, grief, loss of baby

"But no matter the additional earth-shaterring revelations I find, one thing is true. The only good witch is a dead one."

[꧁•⊹٭𝚖𝚊𝚍𝚍𝚒٭⊹•꧂ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I definitely want to read the first book in this series soon

[Mel Lenore · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one! I think it did a great job introducing our male lead and showing us the other side of the world.

[Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Star rating: ★★★★☆
Spice rating: None

A great introduction of the savage prince 🫶🏼 I am so excited to read this book and see the two main characters finally come together 😆

[HERE FOR THE STEAM · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Sword, the second prequel novella in the Mortal Fates series and we’re getting to see the man behind that mysterious voice!

Our Fae Prince Soren hasn’t had it easy and despite being a skilled warrior, the war with the witches has proven to be a serious threat lasting centuries. But his ultimate challenge is one with the Seer, for his mate can save them all and yet he is given one task - patience.

With his people’s future at risk, a formidable enemy on their lands, and a possible traitor in his midst, it’s clear our dear Soren has a tough road ahead.

We’re one month away from A Crown of Oaths and Curses, the first full length book in this series. So download this beauty and set your calendars everyone!!

[Kylie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second prequel novella in the Mortal Fates series and I cannot wait for book 1! This one was jam packed with a lot of information I've been wanting and has me really looking forward for what's to come. :) I can't wait to find out more about Soren and his fated mate!

[evelynn kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

J Bree could punch me in the face and I would thank her

I definitely enjoyed the first novella more but this one still swept me away to this new world that she is building. I was confused about the timeline but after reading other reviews, it seems like it's taking place 200 years AFTER The Scepter (Rooke's novella). So the war Rooke fought in is over I guess and now they are going to need to find each other... I hope we get more info about what Rooke went through during the war and in the last 200 years. She found out her Fate at the end of her novella and then we have this huge time jump but I trust J Bree to weave the story exactly how it should be told and I am HUNGRY for more.

Book 1 is out at the end of the month and I am so excited for a full length story about this world. I hope we don't have to wait too long for Rooke and Soren to meet... 🥰

[Rose · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNFed this one once before but now that I’m getting ready to read book one I figured it was time to try again. It was still boring. This is the Hs POV, it’s his prequel novella, and his inner thoughts are bland and boring. We get introduced to like 25 characters who I’m not even going to remember since the delivery was so dull. Plot wise this one is just like the first prequel novella where all the information is just sort of thrown at you and we don’t get a ton of details. It verges on info dumpy at times. It’s impossible to know what is important and what’s not. Maybe after reading book one both of these prequels will hit better? It feels like one of those things where they make total sense to the author because she knows where the story is going but to the reader they’re just confusing and cryptic.

[TheBookPlatypus · Rating 4 out of 5]

…. We get to get the man behind the mystery voice that used to talk to Rooke…

Soren. His name is Soren. A Fae Prince.
He lost his connection with his fated one many many years ago and I’m SHOOK.

Eager to take the throne and save his people. He needs his fated mate by his side first.

All the seer tells him is, Patience.

This novella is far more into the future than the first novella and we have no idea where Rooke and her brother are but we know that Soren is determined to KILL.ALL.WITCHES.


All I know is.. this is going to be a wild ride.
A true enemies to lovers trope.
I.CAN’T WAIT.

[Luce · Rating 4 out of 5]

The second novella in the mortal fates series has left me wanting more.

I didn't enjoy this one as much as the first novella, but I think this is down to being confused to where this novella sits within the story. A lot of information was thrown at us and it was hard to imagine it in within the world at times. However, I still enjoyed it.

It was interesting to see the motivations of the Savage Prince and I have a feeling this is going to lead to some interesting relationships in the series.

I feel like the world is slowly being opened up to us and I'm excited to real the first full book in the series. J. Bree has provided us with two interesting novellas that have me craving more.

[Lyndsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Lena · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️

[Pia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4✨
Spice: 0🌶️

This second Novella has me looking forward to the first book of the series even more! In this one, we meet Soren, the MMC… the Savage Prince. This book was a great introduction to Soren’s background and the machinations happening in the high fae court while the Witch Wars are happening. Court politics play a bigger role in his Novella but it has you intrigued on how they will progress in book 1.

Soren’s relationships with his closer circle are everything and I already know I’m going to love him even more as the series progresses. I cannot wait to see his and Rooke’s story 💙

[Abstract ♥ Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

ALL MY REVIEWS CAN BE FOUND ON MY BLOG: ABSTRACT BOOKS



Star Rating : 4 / 5 Stars

Cliffhanger : Yes

Overall Opinion :
This is another minor instalment of this series and honestly this author has done an amazing job introducing these characters to us! Just these 2 minor novels in and I am already hooked. I am so excited for the first full length book of this series , its going to be a blast.

I have always praised J Bree for her amazing writing skills when it came to high school or mafia romances but this woman showed me how amazing she is when it comes to fantasy . paranormal romances as well! Definitely recommending her to all the contemporary romance living people out there!

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[Sam | Haus of Fables · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was good back story with lots of info but I did skim a bit
I was a little triggered by a storyline of still birth that kinda took me by surprise as there was no TW for it listed. It isn’t on page but discussed in such a way that it really hit me. I wish I had been prepared for that.
It has set up for lots of political intrigue & enemies to lovers for the main book

[Sylvia · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

I’m excited to start Book 1 officially after finishing up this novella. It’s going to be epic considering we are destined to finally delve into this story that is about Fated Mates who are sworn enemies…YES! This is going to be so much fun!

[Chiara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic! Everything I expected and more!

My expectation of the Savage Prince was well met and I can't wait to read the first book of this new saga!

[Monica Cook · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am SO incredibly excited for this series to take off!

I loved getting these two separate prequels! The tiny glimpses into the rich world we are about to dive into is intoxicating. There is already so much to unravel and so much that we have learned on both the witches side and the fae side.

I am anxious to get more information about the Fate-blessed mates and how Soren and Rooke’s paths will cross.

I already know this will end up being a top shelf series for me.
🤍🤍���

[mysecretworld · Rating 3 out of 5]

THIS IS EVEN MORE USEFUL than the other prequel but more boring because it’s all about the main male character and his pov is always boring ( with little exceptions)
I AM A LIT BIT BIASED because I am writing this review after I had read the first book and I hate his pov.
Ok maybe I liked it in few occasions ( the first meeting, the final chapter and some moments where he describes how inscrutable and unaffected she is🙇‍♀️🙇‍♀️)