All Things Halloween Review - Iron & Embers

Iron & Embers (The Ashes of Thezmarr, # 1)

By: Helen Scheuerer

Publication: January 28, 2025 by Alchemy

614 pages

Genre: Adult, Fantasy

Source: Personal Kindle Library

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--“I’ve made no secret of what I want... You. It’s always been you.”

Wren Embervale, alchemist-turned-assassin, finds solace in only one thing: seeking vengeance for the death of her friends. The wars of the past may be over, but her thirst for revenge is far from quenched.

For years, she has been content with her poisons and potions for company, but when an unknown form of alchemy is used to attack a king of the midrealms, Wren’s time in the shadows comes to an end.

She’s offered a place at the ancient alchemy academy of Drevenor to find a cure to the dark magic threatening the kingdoms. To win her spot, she must conquer the Gauntlet, a grueling series of deadly trials that could cost her sanity, or her life.

More is at play than sabotage from fellow competitors. Magic wielders are being targeted and Wren becomes tangled in a dangerous web of deception and bloodshed that puts the entire realm at risk.

But the biggest threat of all might come from the man assigned to protect her—Torj Elderbrock, the silver-haired war hero who has hated her since she assassinated his last charge.

Their shared history ignites a simmering tension that threatens to consume them both.

Peace is fragile, trust is scarce and enemies lurk around every corner… Will love heal all wounds—or will it be the most lethal poison of all?

Iron & Embers is the breathtaking first installment in the epic fantasy romance series, The Ashes of Thezmarr. With its lush world-building, sizzling chemistry, and heart-pounding action it’s perfect for fans of Fourth Wing, From Blood & Ash, and The Bridge Kingdom.

Wren was one of my favorite character from The Legends of Thezmarr series. Torj also. But Wren has been through a lot. The war in the previous series left her broken and hurting. And as a result, she pushed everyone she loved away. She allowed herself to become filled with bitterness and anger. And she wanted revenge on those still alive who didn't "pay" the ultimate price for their participation in the downfall of the realms and ultimately the death of her sister and countless others. I don't do well with a victim mentality. And that's definitely the place were Wren started and spent a good portion of this book.

Because of the bad mental space that Wren finds herself in, Audra won't recommend her to the alchemy academy of Drevenor that has been Wren's dream for years. But she finally makes it in, and Wren must turn her mental state around or she won't survive. But her place isn't garunteed and she has to make it past the gauntlet to be allowed true entry into her studies.

Torj and Wren haven't yet shared too much together. But their draw to each other was obvious. Torj is assigned to guard Wren as one of the last Embervale sisters and heir to the crown. The tensions between them can't help but bubble to the surface with all of their close contact. Especially since not all the evil in the realm has been conquerered. Magic weilders have begun to be targeted. And that means Wren isn't safe anymore.

I liked Wren and Torj, but I was really, really annoyed at the decisions made at the end of the book. I know that's because the main characters in a series can't really be together in the first book. There must be some kind of conflict to split them apart that they must overcome over the next however many books. Yet it felt out of characters, out of the blue, and such an overused plot devices that I couldn't help but roll my eyes. I mean this event itself took down my Star rating an entire point. It took a perfectly good book into the "meh" category for me. And even though I plan to continue the series, this ending has me not rushing out to pick up book 2 even though it's been published for several months as this point.

On page spice and language are present in high amounts. More than I prefer. So if this is a deal-breaker for you then Iron and Embers isn't going to be the book for you.

Favorite quote:

-"I had no idea they would be used in this way." "Nor do most creators envision their work being used for evil when they're deep in the throes of innovation. But there is danger in inventions, risk in all design. You will come to learn that here at Drevenor."

I liked this quote because it is so true. Evil is evil. And evil people with evil intentions will find a way to accomplsih their evil purposes one way or the other. And it sucks when something was created for good but those evil people use it for their evil purposes.

-"Shut up and eat your sweets, Warsword."

Iron and Embers was overall a frustrating read for me. I was annoyed with Wren and her mental state through the beginning of the book. The middle of the book was the most enjoyable. That is about all I can say without spoilers. And the ending was a load of horse mess. I'm giving Iron and Embers 3 Stars. Have you read Iron & Embers? What did you think? Let me know!

This review is part of my All Things Halloween event--a month of fantasy, paranormal, supernatural, mystery/thriller, etc reviews and books.

Shadow & Storms - Review

Shadow & Storms (The Legends of Thezmarr, # 4)

By: Helen Scheuerer

Publication: June 20, 2024 by Alchemy

420 pages

Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Magic

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--“She was ready to shed blood, ready to take back what was hers.”

The time has come to make one last stand against the forces of cursed men and monsters. But Thea’s enemies are only getting stronger. With allies divided and an outnumbered army, she must race against her own fate to secure the future of the midrealms – or die trying.

A prophecy is looming, and Thea’s life is in the balance. Does she have the power to cheat death itself?

Love and loyalty will be tested. Bonds will fracture forever. But all must fight for a better world.

In the final war for survival, will Thea and Wilder emerge victorious? Or will the shadows consume them at last?

Fans of Fourth Wing, The Witcher and The Bridge Kingdom, brace yourselves for sizzling romance, found family and heart-pounding battles in Shadow & Storms, the epic finale to The Legends of Thezmarr.

Shadow & Storms was literally the first book I read in 2025. Yet, the last day of May is when I finally sat down to write my review of it. Needless to say, this won't be my best work. I have forgotten so much. I vaguely remember that Fate & Furies also ended in a small cliffhanger. This was nothing compared to the cliffhanger of Vows & Ruins.

***This is the last warning you will have that spoilers for the previous three books in the series are ahead. Proceed at your own risk.***

Thea is now a Warsword. Wilder has been taken captive by Artos. War is looming. Thankfully, Thea goes to rescue Wilder pretty early in the book. I would have hated for the book to drag on with them being separated after the time they spent apart in Fate & Furies.

Thea, Wilder, Wren, Kipp, Cal, Torj, Talemir, Drue, Anya, and all of the others are mapping out the war. Who are the real enemies? Is Artos working alone? Who will we lose in battle? What about Thea's fate stone? The year on her stone is fast approaching. Will she have to say goodbye to everyone she loves after all? Will she have to say goodbye to Wilder again?

I will say that I liked the way that Helen Scheuerer worked the fate stone. I agreed with the approaching goodbye that Wilder and Thea were facing. I've felt that way before--missing someone before they're even gone. I'm sure many can relate. I liked the build-up between Torj and Wren. And I'd like to say that I'm eager to delve into their story. If I'd been writing this book review back in January when I finished this book, I could easily have said exactly that. Except, I've already read the first book in their series. And I want more.

Favorite quotes:

-‘If they discover who you’re after, they’ll know it was you. No doubt Artos already suspects your loyalty lies elsewhere. And if you use too much storm magic, any remaining cover you have will be blown. They’ll know that the heir of Delmira and Althea Zoltaire are one and the same. The world will know exactly who you are, and who’s important to you.’ ... ‘Then the world will know that if they hurt him, I’ll burn them all to the ground.’ Talemir nodded. ‘So be it.’

-She broke away, panting. ‘I love you,’ she gasped, refusing to tear her eyes away from him. ‘I love you so much I can hardly breathe. I’ve wanted to say it for so long—’...‘I’ll tell you every day until my last,’ she murmured.

-‘You’re dead anyway,’ she promised. ‘But touch him again, I dare you.’

-‘I am the storm,’

-‘You never need to thank me,’ Wilder told her. ‘I will always fight for you. And it’s my honour to do so.’

-‘Who would have thought Thezmarr’s most useless shieldbearer would be here planning our fights for us.’ ‘You were always slow off the mark,’ Kipp said casually.

-‘Promise me never again. Whatever we do from here on out, we do together.’ ‘I don’t think Kipp’s battle plans—’ ‘Not on the battlefield. In life,’ he said. ‘Where you go, I go, from now on.’

-But to anticipate the grief so intensely… It meant he loved just as hard, just as fiercely. Wilder knew he was lucky to have experienced a love so great, however quickly it would be ripped from him.

-Thea patted him on the shoulder. ‘You’ll slowly learn that of the three Embervale sisters, Wren is the one to fear the most.’

-‘It’s yours. The Laughing Fox is mine, or will be one day. And I don’t mean to see it overrun by shadow any time soon. I will not go quietly into the [...] darkness… Will you?’

-‘If this is to be our final stand, let us make it worthy of legend!’

-‘We are all daughters of darkness, Thea. We were born into a world of it, a place that would dictate the way in which we defend ourselves, the way we live our lives. No more. That world is no longer. And the next one will be what we make it.’

-‘You can do this. You were forged with blood and steel, with lightning and thunder… You were made for this war, made to end it, and you will, for all of us. When I first saw you spying on the Warsword meeting atop the cliffs, I sensed it in you even then.’ Tears lined Thea’s eyes. ‘What?’ ‘Greatness,’ he told her.

-For the first time in a long time, he realised that beneath the festering darkness, the world had been beautiful, and it would be again.

I had a couple of other quotes, but they were spoilers.

Ultimately, Shadow & Storms was a great ending to a great series. I'm giving Shadow & Storms 4.5 Stars. Thea and Wilder's relationship ranks with some of my favorites (Xaden & Violet, Rhysand & Feyre, Aelin & Rowan, etc). Language and on-page spice is always a little much for me, but the plot makes skipping and skimming totally worth it for me. Have you read Shadow & Storm? What did you think? Let me know!

Top Ten Most Anticipated Releases from Q3/Q4 2025

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. This week's topic is Top Ten Most Anticipated Releases from Q3/Q4 2025

1. Splendor of the Land (The King's Men, # 3) by Connilyn Cossette
2. The Governess & the Rogue (Somerset Stories, # 6) by Mimi Matthews
3. Against a Crescent Storm (The Balkan Legends, # 3) by AL Sowards
4. Fallen City by Adrienne Young
5. Brimstone (Fae & Alchemy, # 2) by Callie Hart
6. And Then There Was You by Sophie Cousens
7. The Last Wish of Bristol Keats (Bristol Keats, # 2) by Mary E Pearson
8. The Marriage Method (The Crinoline Academy, # 2) by Mimi Matthews
9. Thorns & Fire (The Ashes of Thezmarr, # 2) by Helen Scheuerer
10. Alchemy of Secrets by Stephanie Garber

Which books are on your summer TBR list? Let me know!

Fate & Furies - Review

Fate & Furies (The Legends of Thezmarr, # 3) 2

By: Helen Scheuerer

Publication: February 22, 2024 by Alchemy

466 Pages

Genre: New Adult, Fantasy

Source: Personal Kindle Library

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--“I always knew you would be the end of me.” With darkness cursing the world around her, Althea Zoltaire is desperate for vengeance. But as she hunts Wilder Hawthorne across the kingdoms, brutal secrets begin to unravel. Not knowing what – or who – to trust, Thea and her companions find themselves entwined with a destiny far greater than one man. Together, they must navigate the haunting revelations that could shatter the very foundations of the midrealms. Yet it’s not only the world at stake, but Thea’s heart too. As everything teeters on the verge of destruction, her fate collides once more with Wilder’s. Will their reunion ignite the fiery passion between them amidst the ashes of betrayal? Or will it end in a heartbreaking, deadly showdown? In a journey fraught with danger, where the lines between enemies and allies blur, Thea must decide where her loyalties lie, and who will stand at her side against the looming evil. Get ready for an epic adventure brimming with steamy romance, and a sprawling world of magic and monsters. Fate & Furies is the penultimate book in the spellbinding epic romantic fantasy series, The Legends of Thezmarr and is perfect for fans of Fourth Wing, The Bridge Kingdom, and The Witcher.

Oh man! The cliffhanger ending for book 2, Vows and Ruin, was killer! And because I just had to know what was going to happen, I devoured Fate and Furies. I had to know if that cliffhanger was just a misunderstanding or if there was more to the story that met the eye. Of course, I could make assumptions, but I had to know.

***This is all the warning you will get that there will be spoilers ahead for the previous two books in this series.***

Thea is reeling from Wilder's betrayal. She is hunting him to bring justice to him for his traitorous actions. But mostly for revenge. Yet since that day, she hasn't been able to access her magic either. Kip and Cal are with her, hunting him. Wilder has been throwing one creature after another at them. And he always seems to stay just out of reach. Yet, Thea learns that there's much going on in the midrealms that she doesn't know about or understand. 

I appreciated that Thea and Wilder's reunion wasn't a smooth transition. Thea captures Wilder, and he wants an opportunity to talk to her. Yet she isn't quite up for listening. Her heart is broken from his betrayal. And even though he has been working behind the scenes for Thea's good, even when she couldn't see that, Wilder is hurt, too. He thinks Thea should have trusted him and what they had together. His reasoning was a bit of a cop-out to me. Out of the previous two books, where they had worked together on many different scenarios, I think he would have been open with her about what he believed might be going on. That's the entirety of many book plots. Two characters have minimal information but work together to discover the truth. But if he'd done that, then there would have been no conflict.  I do appreciate that these two had things to work through. Because that's real life. We all have baggage and trauma that we bring into relationships. And those things hurt our partners more often than not. We have to work to overcome them. And we have to overcome the idea that our love is so big that we could never hurt each other. Everyone hurts the people they love. Most of the time, unintentionally. But we are all imperfect people. Learning how to forgive each other and work through all of those feelings is real. And I appreciated it being included. 

I do like the build-up that I'm beginning to see of Torj and Wren, and I can't wait to check out their spin-off series. Wren is a force in her own right. 

Too many of my favorite quotes:

-The unrelenting sadness came in those quieter moments, with the scent of leather in the wind, with the sight of Hawthorne's tin of peppermint tea sticking out of her saddlebag. Cursing colourfully, she untied the horses. All the midrealms were in uproar over his betrayal, even twelve months later, and though she wore the same mask of anger day in, day out, the sorrow beneath that surface grew taut. Sorrow for what she had lost, including the flicker of hope she'd had for the future.

-With more vigour than she intended, she unbuckled and unlaced the outer layers of her armour, hating that he'd been the one to give it to her. Every time she put it on, she was plagued with the memory of him kneeling before her, his touch skimming across her body as he strapped her into it. A small part of her had considered getting rid of the set for that reason alone, but it was too fine a make, too good a fit, and she'd never find a decent replacement on the road. So every day, she wore it with resentment, and every time it saved her from bodily harm, she cursed Wilder Hawthorne anew.

-He had been content once, slaying monsters, across the midrealms and answering to no one. But now he mourned a different taste of life. True happiness had found him for a brief pocket of time. Flashes of memory assaulted him, snatching the air from his lungs.

-The noise hauled him back to reality, the one in which Thea wasn't his, and he was only hers in the sense that he was her enemy.

-"I don't want you," she told him, knees buckling. "I don't believe you." He closed the small gap between them, still clutching her hand. "My shirt smells like you," he murmured, the sound a low rumble in the shell of her ear. "I still have your marks on my back from our last night together. You claimed me long ago, Thea. You don't get to say I'm not yours now."

-It had taken him years to accept what he knew about the shadow-touched folk, years to pull these pieces into place about what had been transpiring in the midrealsms for all this time. But what he could not accept was that Thea didn't believe him. He had thought they were stronger than that, that she understood what he felt for her, that it was more powerful than any darkness descending upon them.

-"He loves you. That was never in any doubt. Not to us. I'll wager that everything he does is for you."

-"I told myself that it was enough," he murmured into her hair, his voice hoarse. "That I should be grateful for the time we had. It was more love than most people get in a lifetime. But the truth is, Thea... A thousand lifetimes with you wouldn't be enough."

-"You didn't trust me with the truth," ... "You didn't trust me, full stop."

-"No more questions?" he prompted. Thea seemed to consider this before she spoke again. "I have endless questions," she told him slowly. "But I feel as though I no longer have the right to ask them..."

-"Who do you want to be, then?" she asked, pushing her plate away, unable to eat another morsel. "Someone worthy," Wilder replied...

-"What measure of time is enough to be life-changing?"

-"...the smallest blade can make the biggest difference."

-"When I stand against the gods at the end of my days," he told her fiercely, "I will regret nothing. Not the lies I've told, nor the lives I've claimed or the rivers of blood I've spilt. I do not regret a single moment, because every one of them led me to you."

-"You have my word as a Warsword, sire; justice will be served."

Even though I hate doing this for review purposes, I went straight into book 4 without sitting down to write my review of Fate and Furies. When I do that, it makes it hard to separate the events of each book. I'm so thankful to be able to highlight on my Kindle so that keeps me straight. 

Fate and Furies was a fast read for me. The cliffhanger from the previous book drove me to keep reading. I needed to know if the characters I loved would find forgiveness or if they would be forever enemies. And I dove right into the next book in the series as soon as I finished this one. Language and on-page description are high for me, but the plot makes those things I'm willing to skim or skip over for the most part. Fate and Furies gets 4.5 Stars. Have you read Fate and Furies? What did you think? Let me know!

Can't Wait for Thorns & Fire

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released as well. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. Find out more here.

Thorns & Fire (The Ashes of Thezmarr, # 2)

By: Helen Scheuerer

Expected Publication: July 31, 2025 by Alchemy

? pages

Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Magic, Fae,

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Perfect for romantasy fans, Helen Scheuerer’s spellbinding sequel to Iron & Embers, Thorns & Fire, delivers heart-wrenching choices, a found family to root for and a love that defies the odds.

A golden thread joined them, a bond that went deeper than love – and it had nearly destroyed them.

Wren Embervale and Torj Elderbrock share a dark and bloody history. With Thezmarr on the brink of another war, and overwhelmed by the force of their feelings for one another, Torj discovers there is far more to their bond than mere passion. The legendary Warsword is determined to protect Wren at all costs, even if it means lying to her . . . Even if it means losing her forever.

Meanwhile, Wren is struggling to find her place in the world – both as an advanced student of alchemy at the ancient academy of Drevenor, and as one of the heirs to a lost kingdom. With the midrealms once again facing destruction, Wren must decide: loyalty or liberation? Legacy or love?

As new political players emerge, Wren discovers that her gift for alchemy is more powerful than she ever imagined – and that it could tear the kingdoms apart.

Will she and Torj find their way back to each other, or will the ancient magic that binds them become their undoing?

From the author of the bestselling The Legends of Thezmarr series, Thorns & Fire by Helen Scheuerer is the second book in The Ashes of Thezmarr trilogy.

What are you guys waiting on this week? Let me know!

Top Ten Most Anticipated Book Releases Q1/Q2 2025

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. This week's topic is Top Ten Most Anticipated Book Releases Q1/Q2 2025

1. After Life by Gayle Forman
2. The Perfect Rom-Com by Melissa Ferguson
3. The Folklore of Forever (Moonville, # 2) by Sarah Hogle
4. Everything I Promised You by Katy Upperman
5. Rules for Ruin (The Crinoline Academy, # 1) by Mimi Matthews
6. Onyx Storm (The Empyrean, # 3) by Rebecca Yarros
7. Iron & Embers (The Ashes of Thezmarr, # 1) by Helen Scheuerer

And 3 I've already read:

8. Let's Call a Truce by Amy Buchanan
9. The Rules of Matrimony (Matchmaking Mamas, # 4) by Anneka R Walker
10. Beyond the Crescent Sky (The Balkan Legends, # 2) by AL Sowards (releases today)

Which books are you anticipating from the first half of 2025? Let me know!

Can't Wait for Iron & Embers

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Wishful Endings to spotlight and talk about the books we're excited about that we have yet to read. Generally they're books that have yet to be released as well. It's based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. Find out more here.

Iron & Embers (The Ashes of Thezmarr, # 1)

By: Helen Scheuerer

Expected Publication: January 28, 2025 by Alchemy

614 pages

Genre: Adult, Fantasy

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--“I’ve made no secret of what I want... You. It’s always been you.”

Wren Embervale, alchemist-turned-assassin, finds solace in only one thing: seeking vengeance for the death of her friends. The wars of the past may be over, but her thirst for revenge is far from quenched.

For years, she has been content with her poisons and potions for company, but when an unknown form of alchemy is used to attack a king of the midrealms, Wren’s time in the shadows comes to an end.

She’s offered a place at the ancient alchemy academy of Drevenor to find a cure to the dark magic threatening the kingdoms. To win her spot, she must conquer the Gauntlet, a grueling series of deadly trials that could cost her sanity, or her life.

More is at play than sabotage from fellow competitors. Magic wielders are being targeted and Wren becomes tangled in a dangerous web of deception and bloodshed that puts the entire realm at risk.

But the biggest threat of all might come from the man assigned to protect her—Torj Elderbrock, the silver-haired war hero who has hated her since she assassinated his last charge.

Their shared history ignites a simmering tension that threatens to consume them both.

Peace is fragile, trust is scarce and enemies lurk around every corner… Will love heal all wounds—or will it be the most lethal poison of all?

Iron & Embers is the breathtaking first installment in the epic fantasy romance series, The Ashes of Thezmarr. With its lush world-building, sizzling chemistry, and heart-pounding action it’s perfect for fans of Fourth Wing, From Blood & Ash, and The Bridge Kingdom.

A slight spoiler for the previous series, which I haven't finished. Bummer. What are you guys waiting on this week? Let me know!

All Things Halloween Review - Vows and Ruins

Vows & Ruins (The Legends of Thezmarr, # ) 2

By: Helen Scheuerer

Publication: September 21, 2023 by Alchemy

536 Pages

Genre: New Adult, Fantasy

Source: Personal Library (Thank you!!)

( Goodreads | Amazon )

*Note: The above link to Amazon is an affiliate links. Affiliate links support giveaways for Somewhere Only We Know readers.

Goodreads description--Against all odds, Althea Zoltaire emerged from her trials as a champion. Now, she must train even harder and prepare herself to become a true warrior of Thezmarr.

But Thea’s world is turned upside down as she struggles to navigate her newfound magic and uncover the secrets of her past. Slowly, she begins to untangle the truth about her family, her powers and the evil that threatens to engulf the kingdom.

When Wilder Hawthorne returns to be her official mentor, everything changes. Dark forces are gathering, and he will stop at nothing to prepare her for the challenges to come, even if it means breaking her.

As war looms and their quest for answers leads master and apprentice deeper into danger, the undeniable connection between them intensifies – defying all odds, but also threatening to tear them apart.

With secrets unravelling and evil closing in, Thea and Wilder fight to save the world, and each other. The fate of the realms rests in their hands – will they emerge victorious, or will the darkness consume them both?

Full of action, adventure and steamy romance, Vows & Ruins is the second book in the spellbinding epic romantic fantasy series, The Legends of Thezmarr and is perfect for fans of The Bridge Kingdom, From Blood and Ash and The Witcher.

Whew guys! I don't even know what I'm going to say about this one.

I got Blood & Steel on audiobook for review and really enjoyed it. It ended with a little bit of a cliffhanger. But I knew I had to wait a while for the audiobook to release for Vows and Ruins or I would probably get the print version. Well surprise me, but not much time went by when nearly the entire series was released in print and the audiobook version for book 2 was released as well. When my birthday came up, I snagged the audiobook version as it wasn't that expensive at the time. Mollie Stark & Sebastian Grove narrate the same as Blood and Steel; they do an outstanding job. (*Side note: I often wonder what male audiobook narrators think of the books they're narrating.)

Vows and Ruins picks up with Thea training to be a Warrior of Thezmarr. But Wilder is MIA. She's still training, but she is angry. And she isn't taking good care of herself. She's recently discovered a significant piece of information about herself, and she isn't coping very well with the stress of it all. Wilder shows up just in time to help her get back into a more balanced headspace of self-care and training. He decides that they need to take their training on the road because that is where all Legends learn most of their training.

Wilder and Thea do this dance back and forth between trying to maintain a professional relationship and getting it on. They do good, and then they cave. The back and forth was a little much for me. But what was really much for me was the frequency and description they ended up together. If readers were missing this action from the previous book, Vow and Ruins ought to have made up for it. For my personal reading level, the on-page sex was a bit excessive. This was probably made worse for me by having the audio version where skimming ahead isn't as easy as the print version. Also, there was something about hearing these scenes out loud instead of reading or skimming them that gave me second-hand embarrassment. 

As far as plot goes, Vows and Ruins had multiple plot twists. One plot twist was pretty obvious. And I think Helen Scheuerer was pulling a sleight-of-hand trick where she was keeping our attention on this flashy, in-your-face, twist all while sneaking a major blindside from behind our backs. Maybe other readers/listeners caught this plot twist, but I missed it. And I felt the emotions all the more because of it. 

Vows and Ruins was really good. I wanted to keep listening until I finished it. I got a good bit of crocheting done during this one, and of course, dishes washed and meals cooked, as well. Wilder and Thea were a bit of a roller coaster. Their back and forth was a bit much at times. The on-page sexual scenes exceeded my preferences, but it's the plot that keeps me coming back for more. Yet again, we have a pretty major (even bigger than before) cliffhanger at the end of this book. I will be continuing this series to find out what happens next. Vows and Ruins gets 4 Stars. Have you read (or listened to) Vows and Ruins? What did you think? Let me know!

This review is part of my All Things Halloween event--a month of fantasy, paranormal, supernatural, mystery/thriller, etc reviews and books.

Top Ten New-To-Me Authors I Read in 2023

Top Ten Tuesday was created by The Broke and the Bookish in June of 2010 and was moved to That Artsy Reader Girl in January of 2018. It was born of a love of lists, a love of books, and a desire to bring bookish friends together. This week's topic is Top Ten New-To-Me Authors I Read in 2023

1. Helen Scheuerer - Blood and Steel (Legends of Thezmarr, # 1)



2. Rebecca Yarros - This should probably be my number 1. I didn't rank them in order of preference. But these two books are in my top favorite of 2023.



3. Jennie Goutet - I read 9 books by Jennie Goutet this past year which is pretty phenomenal for a new-to-me author in one year. I read: A Yorkshire Carol (A Christmas Match, # 3 --review coming), An Amiable Foe, A Regrettable Proposal (Memorable Proposals, # 1 --review coming soon), A Faithful Proposal (Memorable Proposals, # 2 -- review coming soon), A Daring Proposal (Memorable Proposals, # 3 --review coming soon), A Fall from Grace (Clavering Chronicles, # 1), Philippa Holds Court (Clavering Chronicles, # 2), The Sport of Matchmaking (Clavering Chronicles, # 3 --review coming soon), & His Disinclined Bride (Seasons of Change, # 7)



4. MA Nichols - Read The Shameless Flirt (The Ashbrooks, # 2) & Flame and Ember (The Kingsleys, # 1 --review coming Thursday)

5. Katie Stone Stewart - I read Scotland's Melody and immediately hoped for a sequel.

6. Louie Giglio - We finished How Great is Our God and we are reading Indescribable now.

7. Jamie Erickson - I read Homeschool Bravely and LOVED it.

8. Libby Hubscher - Play for Me was much deeper and complex than I expected. I'll defintely check out more from her in the future.

9. Amanda Taylor - I read an Uncharted Devotion and was totally bummed to have missed her newest release Persuaded to the Sea when it was available on egalley. I'll get around to it eventually, I'm sure.



10. Nisha J Tuli - I read Trial of the Sun Queen & Rule of the Aurora King. These weren't perfect books for me, but I did read them quickly.

Which new-to-you authors did you read in 2023? Let me know!