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The Sacred Stones Trilogy #2
A Promise of Peridot
A prophecy of death. A weapon of hope. A sacrifice of love.
Arwen Valondale is sailing for the mysterious Kingdom of Citrine after the battle of Siren's Bay. Reeling from shocking revelations and her newfound powers, Arwen directs all of her pain and rage toward the man who betrayed her: King Kane Ravenwood.
Kane's presence is unavoidable as he travels with Arwen and her friends to seek the Blade of the Sun, a legendary weapon inextricably tied to her fate and the future of the realm. Even an uneasy truce proves difficult as Arwen fights against her unresolved feelings for Kane, who is willing to become darkness itself to protect her.
As Arwen faces creatures, foes, and magic beyond her wildest imaginings, she must discover the secrets of her past to defeat the monstrous Fae king Lazarus. But finding the light within might mean the death of her and everyone she loves.
Arwen Valondale is sailing for the mysterious Kingdom of Citrine after the battle of Siren's Bay. Reeling from shocking revelations and her newfound powers, Arwen directs all of her pain and rage toward the man who betrayed her: King Kane Ravenwood.
Kane's presence is unavoidable as he travels with Arwen and her friends to seek the Blade of the Sun, a legendary weapon inextricably tied to her fate and the future of the realm. Even an uneasy truce proves difficult as Arwen fights against her unresolved feelings for Kane, who is willing to become darkness itself to protect her.
As Arwen faces creatures, foes, and magic beyond her wildest imaginings, she must discover the secrets of her past to defeat the monstrous Fae king Lazarus. But finding the light within might mean the death of her and everyone she loves.
482 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 9, 2024
About the author
Kate Golden
4 books2,284 followersKate Golden is the bestselling author of viral sensation and debut novel A Dawn of Onyx and its sequel A Promise of Peridot. She lives in Los Angeles where she works in the film industry developing movies with screenwriters and filmmakers. When she isn’t telling stories, Kate is an avid book reader, movie fanatic, and functioning puzzle addict. She and her husband can be found hosting cozy game nights and taking hikes with their sweet pup, Milo. You can find her on Instagram at KateGoldenAuthor and on TikTok at Kate_Golden_Author, where she is known to post both spicy and heartbreaking teasers for her upcoming books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,948 reviews
May 8, 2024
I don't know who needs to hear this but... this series is it! So good.
It's fast paced, intriguing, waring kingdoms, the romance and spice are chefs kiss 💋🤌, I was on the edge of my seat for much of this book - and the cliffhanger - don't even talk to me. It's CRIMINAL!
Straight to jail Kate Golden!
I don't want to go into the plot in this book since it's the second one because it would be spoilers galore - so please forgive me and accept this mini review.
And go read this series now! This is your sign!
"Because when I met you, I felt hope. Birds soar through the dawn each morning, as sure as the sun rising in the east--the promise of something new regardless of what came before. Hope always has wings." 💚💚
It's fast paced, intriguing, waring kingdoms, the romance and spice are chefs kiss 💋🤌, I was on the edge of my seat for much of this book - and the cliffhanger - don't even talk to me. It's CRIMINAL!
Straight to jail Kate Golden!
I don't want to go into the plot in this book since it's the second one because it would be spoilers galore - so please forgive me and accept this mini review.
And go read this series now! This is your sign!
"Because when I met you, I felt hope. Birds soar through the dawn each morning, as sure as the sun rising in the east--the promise of something new regardless of what came before. Hope always has wings." 💚💚
June 3, 2024
★4 stars
✎𓂃 “I’m in love with you. Desperately so. The way those sailors lost at sea love the bird that guides them home.”
This book came SO CLOSE to being 5 stars for me. I would volunteer my firstborn as tribute for even a millisecond with my dragon shadow daddy Kane 🥵
☆What to Expect:
We’re back in the kingdom of Evendell, where our chosen one Arwen must deal with the ramifications of her true fate via the seer’s prophecy, and Kane’s deception in using her. Together, they must race to find the blade to kill Lazarus before he takes over the kingdom. Will Arwen fully accept the fate foretold and save everyone she loves most? Will she forgive Kane, who would give it all up to ensure she survives (please 🙏)?
✧ Dual POV from Arwen and Kane
✧ Explicit romance (finally)
✧ Lots of groveling
✧ Touch her and die vibes
✧ New characters that bring in some v interesting tension 😏
✧ Some violence, torture, and instances of claustrophobia
☆My Thoughts:
It’s been a while since I’ve had that heart-racing feeling of loving a book so much that I can’t put it down. But Ms. Golden had me just-one-more-chapter-ing for two days straight just to see what would happen next, and for 99% of it, she did not disappoint. I felt like we were waiting foreverrrr to get book 2, for me it was mainly bc I was searching in every nook and cranny for that explicit smut 🤭
Wellllll, knock, knock!! Book 2 is here and she’s arrived with a massive smutty third act!! 👋🏼
⋆₊⊹⁀➴ Arwen. Girl has a lot to deal with: the death of her mother, her true fate, Kane’s betrayal, her family not wanting much to do with her, coming into her powers… I don’t blame her for shutting down. We really see her realize what she wants most in life, and where her true motivations lie–with the people she loves most. And who’s at the top of that list????
⋆₊⊹⁀➴ Say it with me: DRAGON SHADOW DADDY KING KANE. I don’t think I’ll ever tire of calling out his name 😮💨 My man is UNHINGED throughout the entirety of this book and I am HERE FOR IT 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Touch her and DIE he really said it 🤭
I loved every chapter from his POV, his complete chaos over his love for Arwen and not being able to act on it. He would do anything for her, to save her and ensure she has a full life worth living. Someone plz tell me where do I find this?!?!?!?!
☆The Ending:
Okay, this is where Ms. Golden let me down.
Idk what it was about this book, but I was so immersed until the very end, which I feel like is rare for a middle book? I was expecting a whole lotta info dumping, and with all the traveling around the kingdom, it should have been boring. And Kane at the end?? OOH I am READY for him in full revenge mode!!!
But that epilogue??? Gross. Just no. That was not the plot I wanted, and has me dreading the next book in the series. I don’t want to see this play out, and I feel like literally any other cliffhanger would have been acceptable. Honestly the first time I would have been okay without an epilogue lmao 😅
☆Two More Quotes:
✎𓂃“You asked me once if I thought love was a weakness. You, Arwen. You are my weakness.”
✎𓂃“And when I found her in that clearing…saw her blood leaking onto the forest floor…I thought my very heart lived outside my body in that moment, and I was watching it wither and die. I would have given my own life ten times over to save her from that pain.”
* ゜・。。・゜゜・。。・゜*
Pre-review:
Arwen girllll you better not be making Kane grovel for too long bc I NEED my dragon shadow daddy at his finest 😈😮💨🖤
✎𓂃 “I’m in love with you. Desperately so. The way those sailors lost at sea love the bird that guides them home.”
This book came SO CLOSE to being 5 stars for me. I would volunteer my firstborn as tribute for even a millisecond with my dragon shadow daddy Kane 🥵
☆What to Expect:
We’re back in the kingdom of Evendell, where our chosen one Arwen must deal with the ramifications of her true fate via the seer’s prophecy, and Kane’s deception in using her. Together, they must race to find the blade to kill Lazarus before he takes over the kingdom. Will Arwen fully accept the fate foretold and save everyone she loves most? Will she forgive Kane, who would give it all up to ensure she survives (please 🙏)?
✧ Dual POV from Arwen and Kane
✧ Explicit romance (finally)
✧ Lots of groveling
✧ Touch her and die vibes
✧ New characters that bring in some v interesting tension 😏
✧ Some violence, torture, and instances of claustrophobia
✎𓂃“Don’t you know why I call you bird? Because when I met you, for the first time in a long time in as long as I can remember, I felt hope. That’s what birds represent. Stranded sailors look to the sky to be led by them back to dry land. Birds soar through the dawn each morning, as sure as the sun rising in the east–the promise of something new, regardless of what came before. Hope always has wings.”
☆My Thoughts:
It’s been a while since I’ve had that heart-racing feeling of loving a book so much that I can’t put it down. But Ms. Golden had me just-one-more-chapter-ing for two days straight just to see what would happen next, and for 99% of it, she did not disappoint. I felt like we were waiting foreverrrr to get book 2, for me it was mainly bc I was searching in every nook and cranny for that explicit smut 🤭
Wellllll, knock, knock!! Book 2 is here and she’s arrived with a massive smutty third act!! 👋🏼
⋆₊⊹⁀➴ Arwen. Girl has a lot to deal with: the death of her mother, her true fate, Kane’s betrayal, her family not wanting much to do with her, coming into her powers… I don’t blame her for shutting down. We really see her realize what she wants most in life, and where her true motivations lie–with the people she loves most. And who’s at the top of that list????
⋆₊⊹⁀➴ Say it with me: DRAGON SHADOW DADDY KING KANE. I don’t think I’ll ever tire of calling out his name 😮💨 My man is UNHINGED throughout the entirety of this book and I am HERE FOR IT 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
✎𓂃“Someone needs to be ripped limb from limb for laying their hands on your precious fucking body.”
Touch her and DIE he really said it 🤭
I loved every chapter from his POV, his complete chaos over his love for Arwen and not being able to act on it. He would do anything for her, to save her and ensure she has a full life worth living. Someone plz tell me where do I find this?!?!?!?!
✎𓂃“The way I felt about Arwen–pulse racing every time she spoke, eager to play with her, flirt with her, to make her laugh, make her sign, frustrate her to the point of seeing that little pinch between her brows, always needing to pick her brain, taste her lips–it was enough to kill a man. I didn’t know how anybody survived being in love. It was as crippling as I’d always feared it would be. And…terrifying. To neverr be able to get enough of her. To never be free of these feelings.”
☆The Ending:
Okay, this is where Ms. Golden let me down.
Idk what it was about this book, but I was so immersed until the very end, which I feel like is rare for a middle book? I was expecting a whole lotta info dumping, and with all the traveling around the kingdom, it should have been boring. And Kane at the end?? OOH I am READY for him in full revenge mode!!!
But that epilogue??? Gross. Just no. That was not the plot I wanted, and has me dreading the next book in the series. I don’t want to see this play out, and I feel like literally any other cliffhanger would have been acceptable. Honestly the first time I would have been okay without an epilogue lmao 😅
☆Two More Quotes:
✎𓂃“You asked me once if I thought love was a weakness. You, Arwen. You are my weakness.”
✎𓂃“And when I found her in that clearing…saw her blood leaking onto the forest floor…I thought my very heart lived outside my body in that moment, and I was watching it wither and die. I would have given my own life ten times over to save her from that pain.”
* ゜・。。・゜゜・。。・゜*
Pre-review:
Arwen girllll you better not be making Kane grovel for too long bc I NEED my dragon shadow daddy at his finest 😈😮💨🖤
July 28, 2024
3⭐️
While the first book in this series will have the same rating as this one, I thought this book was a bit better.
The huge thing I will praise about this book is it's plot. It's engaging. It's fun. It's thrilling. I was enjoying myself most of the time with this plot. The characters were solid and I found that they developed more depth in this one rather than the first book in this series. I also appreciate that these books don't end on crazy cliffhangers! They leave you with enough to keep guessing and wanting more, but won't have your heart absolutely broken.
However, this book had the same problem I noticed that the first book had: it was just so boring a lot of times and I found myself not really wanting to pick this up and avoiding doing so. We jump straight into the ending of book 1 and it seems so promising. While this book had more thrilling events and situations going on, I just found myself so...disconnected. I wasn't on the edge of my seat, and I just couldn't seem to root for any of the characters.
I definitely think this was a personal problem, as my heart just couldn't get connected to anything or anyone. It was SUPPOSED to be action packed and always trying to keep your attention, but that fell short for me. I couldn't help but rant to my friends about how I just don't vibe with this and I just want to move on to something else.
The ending though? It was amazing. Just like book 1, this book ended having me wanting more and needing to know what happens next. However, at the time of writing this, book 3 isn't out yet and I'm internally crying that I can't know what happens next. 😭
Overall, I think so many people would like this series. It has so may things going for it and I just think it missed for me more than it did/would for others. I will absolutely be reading the 3rd and final book when it comes out because I need to know what happens. I'm invested enough to keep going. 💚
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Got this in the mail today and I just realized it's dual POV?? I cannot wait to read Kane's side in this one 🤩
While the first book in this series will have the same rating as this one, I thought this book was a bit better.
The huge thing I will praise about this book is it's plot. It's engaging. It's fun. It's thrilling. I was enjoying myself most of the time with this plot. The characters were solid and I found that they developed more depth in this one rather than the first book in this series. I also appreciate that these books don't end on crazy cliffhangers! They leave you with enough to keep guessing and wanting more, but won't have your heart absolutely broken.
However, this book had the same problem I noticed that the first book had: it was just so boring a lot of times and I found myself not really wanting to pick this up and avoiding doing so. We jump straight into the ending of book 1 and it seems so promising. While this book had more thrilling events and situations going on, I just found myself so...disconnected. I wasn't on the edge of my seat, and I just couldn't seem to root for any of the characters.
I definitely think this was a personal problem, as my heart just couldn't get connected to anything or anyone. It was SUPPOSED to be action packed and always trying to keep your attention, but that fell short for me. I couldn't help but rant to my friends about how I just don't vibe with this and I just want to move on to something else.
The ending though? It was amazing. Just like book 1, this book ended having me wanting more and needing to know what happens next. However, at the time of writing this, book 3 isn't out yet and I'm internally crying that I can't know what happens next. 😭
Overall, I think so many people would like this series. It has so may things going for it and I just think it missed for me more than it did/would for others. I will absolutely be reading the 3rd and final book when it comes out because I need to know what happens. I'm invested enough to keep going. 💚
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Got this in the mail today and I just realized it's dual POV?? I cannot wait to read Kane's side in this one 🤩
May 9, 2024
Are you kidding me right now??? THAT ENDING 🤯
This series has me in a chokehold and now I need book 3 immediately.
1. I love Kane so much
2. Mari and Griffin need a story ASAP
3. Kate Golden really knows how to drop a bomb at the end of her books 😂😂😂
🌶️🌶️🌶️
REREAD #2 finished 5/9/24
I cannot get over that ending. Literal chills for the second time. I am so ready for book 3 now!
This series has me in a chokehold and now I need book 3 immediately.
1. I love Kane so much
2. Mari and Griffin need a story ASAP
3. Kate Golden really knows how to drop a bomb at the end of her books 😂😂😂
🌶️🌶️🌶️
REREAD #2 finished 5/9/24
I cannot get over that ending. Literal chills for the second time. I am so ready for book 3 now!
September 3, 2024
“There is also power in vulnerability. It is what makes us human, and gives us something worth fighting for”
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ✦ . ⁺ . ━ 2.9 - 3.1 ☆ ━ . ⁺ . ✦
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ ╰┈➤˗ˏˋㅤmight contain spoilers ❗
ㅤㅤI will probably begin by noting that this review may end up being even shorter than the one for the first book because I will be trying to add to, rather than just restate, the points I made in my review for "A Dawn of Onyx". To be honest, I was pleasantly surprised by this book,, and I thought it was better than the first one in certain ways. For this reason, it also receives a little higher rating. I'll highlight the few improvements that I believe were done in the following sections of my review.
ㅤㅤ"A Promise of Peridot" starts exactly after the events from the previous book, and therefore we have our characters sailing for the Kingdom of Citrine after the joke of a battle of Siren's Bay. We, of course, have an Arwen who is incredibly shaken by the revelations from the end of the first book, who is absolutely scared of her own powers, and who finds herself betrayed by those close to her. Of course, she will still keep being insufferable as they finally reach Kingdom of Citrine, all until a certain golden prince starts piquing her interest by being as uninteresting as herself. Do not worry, she will keep being the same tantrum-throwing girl as they start their search for the Blade of the Sun as well, while they navigate from kingdom to kingdom; and she will keep behaving in the way until they finally return to Onyx where her eyes are opened by a little seer. But just as love starts to finally mend it all, due to the obvious lack of magical training, which apparently no one thought to be necessary(?) Arwen and Kane are once again separated; of course, by his evil father, as Lazarus, after being quiet once again for an entire book, decides to make a new appearance and leave us all disgusted in an ending that finishes on a trauma-inducing cliff hanger.
ㅤㅤI will try to keep this short. So let's just delve into the elements that I usually analyse and I will just probably mention some new things regarding each of them in comparison to the previous book.
ㅤㅤㅤ -ˋˏ ༻ world-building, writing and action ༺ ˎˊ-
ㅤㅤI must admit, there were some modest advances in terms of world-building. I enjoy that we finally started to learn more about the continent and the world of the Fae; of course, not a lot of information is once again offered, because, God forbid, our heads might burst from too much information, but it was far better than the first book, which leaves you with nothing.
ㅤㅤI did enjoy seeing a bit more about the other kingdoms; not enough, but an acceptable addition just so you would not get entirely bored with questions again. And the book finally also provides some insight on the fae, the magic wielders, and the backstory of some characters. It's a pretty simple world anyway, so I guess this was actually a huge improvement for this specific series
ㅤㅤAs with the first book, I will not be able to compliment the writing in this one. The writing remains infantile and too basic. The dialogue feels forced, weird, and unnatural, considering the age of the characters, and some of the exchanges and the way they are presented do not fit the genre at all.
ㅤㅤMy main concern is once again related to the numerous writing and grammatical errors. I normally don't pay much attention to this sort of inaccuracy when I'm reading a book, especially if they're uncommon. However, when they keep repeating and becoming noticeable, it's turning into a reading-hindering experience.
ㅤㅤIn terms of action, I must say that this was a really solid second book in a series such as this one. I believe there were several story components intended to make the reading enjoyable and not feel completely empty; it could have been presented much better, of course, but I will try not to be a total hater. There were certain occasions where the action moved quickly, which was fine for a novel where you primarily follow the protagonists as they travel from one location to another on their mission. It wasn't outstanding, but it wasn't the worst thing ever either.
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ -ˋˏ ༻ characters ༺ ˎˊ-
ㅤㅤOnce again, my biggest disappointment,if I can even call it that, since my expectations were swimming in the Mariana Trench, concerns the characters of this book and their almost complete lack of personality, evolution, and basic traits that could make them slightly more intriguing and interesting for the reader.
ㅤㅤ ⟡ Arwen - She is still insanely childish. She is extremely irritating since she refuses to utilise her head or listen to common sense, despite being ignorant and foolish. She blames everything on others around her, completely ignoring the point that they are truly attempting to be close to her, and she feels entitled to do so. She demonstrates that she is completely emotionally underdeveloped by falling for whatever attractive male she encounters, and for more than half of the novel, she simply bends everyone to her whims. She has every right to mourn and be devastated, but her behaviours are so aggravating that you can't even commiserate.
ㅤㅤ ⟡ Kane - I did appreciate seeing him progress, but he is still not worthy of being a key character. His only personality is that he loves and lusts after Arwen, which could have been well woven into his character, but it takes up far too much of his identity. There was some fresh information about his background and history, which I enjoyed, but I feel like more was required to present him as a key character instead of this enamoured man who is in love with a dumb woman. He deserved far more than this.
ㅤㅤ ❧ I don't want to talk about the love story. This woman is too emotionally underdeveloped for this sort of complex feelings.
ㅤㅤ ⟡ Mari and Griffin - They were really entertaining characters, to be honest. They didn't really do much once again, but they were nice to have around and read about. Their interactions were pretty funny to encounter, but they were also very awkward and slightly abnormal. Mari should stop being so close to Arwen because her immaturity is rubbing on her. And Griffin is just absolutely delicious in his hate for human interactions and his awkwardness in relationship with feelings.
ㅤㅤ ⟡ Fedrik - I genuinely have no idea what he is doing in this book. I know the writer was probably trying to create this sort of love triangle, in order to spice up the book and add some drama, but it did not work in that way. It was clear that the poor man had absolutely no chance, and the idea of the love triangle simply became so forced that it was turning into something exhausting and annoying. The lack of attention offered to his character simply made him cartoonish.
ㅤㅤ ⟡ the other characters - They are still there. There is nothing more to say about them, but they are still there.
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ -ˋˏ ༻ ending and conclusions ༺ ˎˊ-
ㅤㅤI could not have foreseen this ending, no matter how much I would have strained my brain; which I guess should be a nice thing and prove that the book actually has the potential to surprise the reader. But I feel like this ending is literally giving me PTSD and, strangely, it makes me want to read the last book as well once it comes out. So, I guess, the ending can actually be considered good. I will stop talking more about it, as I do not want to actually end up spoiling it entirely.
ㅤㅤI genuinely feel like the only conclusion I could reach for this book is that if you take out the FMC and let the rest of the characters grow independently from her, the book has much more potential to become an entertaining read. It was still slightly better than the first book in the series, and I guess, this was pretty enough to make me want to read the third book as well, with no high hopes, just to see the conclusion of this story. It might be a nice, short and quick read to pass the time, but read at your own risk because of the frustrating FMC.
ㅤㅤ────────── ༻✧༺ ──────────
.˚౿ Pre-reading ࿐ ࿔*:･
ㅤㅤWill this be the next book I will hate-read from this series? I guess I will have to start this so we can find out, so let's go!
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ✦ . ⁺ . ━ 2.9 - 3.1 ☆ ━ . ⁺ . ✦
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ ╰┈➤˗ˏˋㅤmight contain spoilers ❗
ㅤㅤI will probably begin by noting that this review may end up being even shorter than the one for the first book because I will be trying to add to, rather than just restate, the points I made in my review for "A Dawn of Onyx". To be honest, I was pleasantly surprised by this book,, and I thought it was better than the first one in certain ways. For this reason, it also receives a little higher rating. I'll highlight the few improvements that I believe were done in the following sections of my review.
ㅤㅤ"A Promise of Peridot" starts exactly after the events from the previous book, and therefore we have our characters sailing for the Kingdom of Citrine after the joke of a battle of Siren's Bay. We, of course, have an Arwen who is incredibly shaken by the revelations from the end of the first book, who is absolutely scared of her own powers, and who finds herself betrayed by those close to her. Of course, she will still keep being insufferable as they finally reach Kingdom of Citrine, all until a certain golden prince starts piquing her interest by being as uninteresting as herself. Do not worry, she will keep being the same tantrum-throwing girl as they start their search for the Blade of the Sun as well, while they navigate from kingdom to kingdom; and she will keep behaving in the way until they finally return to Onyx where her eyes are opened by a little seer. But just as love starts to finally mend it all, due to the obvious lack of magical training, which apparently no one thought to be necessary(?) Arwen and Kane are once again separated; of course, by his evil father, as Lazarus, after being quiet once again for an entire book, decides to make a new appearance and leave us all disgusted in an ending that finishes on a trauma-inducing cliff hanger.
ㅤㅤI will try to keep this short. So let's just delve into the elements that I usually analyse and I will just probably mention some new things regarding each of them in comparison to the previous book.
ㅤㅤㅤ -ˋˏ ༻ world-building, writing and action ༺ ˎˊ-
ㅤㅤI must admit, there were some modest advances in terms of world-building. I enjoy that we finally started to learn more about the continent and the world of the Fae; of course, not a lot of information is once again offered, because, God forbid, our heads might burst from too much information, but it was far better than the first book, which leaves you with nothing.
ㅤㅤI did enjoy seeing a bit more about the other kingdoms; not enough, but an acceptable addition just so you would not get entirely bored with questions again. And the book finally also provides some insight on the fae, the magic wielders, and the backstory of some characters. It's a pretty simple world anyway, so I guess this was actually a huge improvement for this specific series
ㅤㅤAs with the first book, I will not be able to compliment the writing in this one. The writing remains infantile and too basic. The dialogue feels forced, weird, and unnatural, considering the age of the characters, and some of the exchanges and the way they are presented do not fit the genre at all.
ㅤㅤMy main concern is once again related to the numerous writing and grammatical errors. I normally don't pay much attention to this sort of inaccuracy when I'm reading a book, especially if they're uncommon. However, when they keep repeating and becoming noticeable, it's turning into a reading-hindering experience.
ㅤㅤIn terms of action, I must say that this was a really solid second book in a series such as this one. I believe there were several story components intended to make the reading enjoyable and not feel completely empty; it could have been presented much better, of course, but I will try not to be a total hater. There were certain occasions where the action moved quickly, which was fine for a novel where you primarily follow the protagonists as they travel from one location to another on their mission. It wasn't outstanding, but it wasn't the worst thing ever either.
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ -ˋˏ ༻ characters ༺ ˎˊ-
ㅤㅤOnce again, my biggest disappointment,
ㅤㅤ ⟡ Arwen - She is still insanely childish. She is extremely irritating since she refuses to utilise her head or listen to common sense, despite being ignorant and foolish. She blames everything on others around her, completely ignoring the point that they are truly attempting to be close to her, and she feels entitled to do so. She demonstrates that she is completely emotionally underdeveloped by falling for whatever attractive male she encounters, and for more than half of the novel, she simply bends everyone to her whims. She has every right to mourn and be devastated, but her behaviours are so aggravating that you can't even commiserate.
ㅤㅤ ⟡ Kane - I did appreciate seeing him progress, but he is still not worthy of being a key character. His only personality is that he loves and lusts after Arwen, which could have been well woven into his character, but it takes up far too much of his identity. There was some fresh information about his background and history, which I enjoyed, but I feel like more was required to present him as a key character instead of this enamoured man who is in love with a dumb woman. He deserved far more than this.
ㅤㅤ ❧ I don't want to talk about the love story. This woman is too emotionally underdeveloped for this sort of complex feelings.
ㅤㅤ ⟡ Mari and Griffin - They were really entertaining characters, to be honest. They didn't really do much once again, but they were nice to have around and read about. Their interactions were pretty funny to encounter, but they were also very awkward and slightly abnormal. Mari should stop being so close to Arwen because her immaturity is rubbing on her. And Griffin is just absolutely delicious in his hate for human interactions and his awkwardness in relationship with feelings.
ㅤㅤ ⟡ Fedrik - I genuinely have no idea what he is doing in this book. I know the writer was probably trying to create this sort of love triangle, in order to spice up the book and add some drama, but it did not work in that way. It was clear that the poor man had absolutely no chance, and the idea of the love triangle simply became so forced that it was turning into something exhausting and annoying. The lack of attention offered to his character simply made him cartoonish.
ㅤㅤ ⟡ the other characters - They are still there. There is nothing more to say about them, but they are still there.
ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ -ˋˏ ༻ ending and conclusions ༺ ˎˊ-
ㅤㅤI could not have foreseen this ending, no matter how much I would have strained my brain; which I guess should be a nice thing and prove that the book actually has the potential to surprise the reader. But I feel like this ending is literally giving me PTSD and, strangely, it makes me want to read the last book as well once it comes out. So, I guess, the ending can actually be considered good. I will stop talking more about it, as I do not want to actually end up spoiling it entirely.
ㅤㅤI genuinely feel like the only conclusion I could reach for this book is that if you take out the FMC and let the rest of the characters grow independently from her, the book has much more potential to become an entertaining read. It was still slightly better than the first book in the series, and I guess, this was pretty enough to make me want to read the third book as well, with no high hopes, just to see the conclusion of this story. It might be a nice, short and quick read to pass the time, but read at your own risk because of the frustrating FMC.
ㅤㅤ────────── ༻✧༺ ──────────
.˚౿ Pre-reading ࿐ ࿔*:･
ㅤㅤWill this be the next book I will hate-read from this series? I guess I will have to start this so we can find out, so let's go!
October 29, 2024
"You matter more to me. More than revenge, redemption--anything. Don't you know I love you, Arwen?...I'm in love with you." His laugh was rough and tired. "Desperately so. The way those sailors lost at sea love the bird that guides them home."
3.5 stars
This would have been so much better if it weren't for Arwen. She was immature, hypocritical, and cruel at times. There just hasn't been enough positives about her character to warrant the feelings that Kane has for her.
The story itself was interesting, though I think this one was slower and not as much was happening. Another character was introduced specifically to drive a wedge between Arwen and Kane; I don't think he served any other purpose to the story, which was really annoying.
And Kane was fucking amazing despite his icky taste in women, present company included. It's always fun to watch these really dark, villainous MMC's slowly start to show their gooey centers.
I'll still continue the series, but the exciting parts of this series are evenly matched with the disappointments imo.
Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for this arc in exchange for an honest review!
3.5 stars
This would have been so much better if it weren't for Arwen. She was immature, hypocritical, and cruel at times. There just hasn't been enough positives about her character to warrant the feelings that Kane has for her.
The story itself was interesting, though I think this one was slower and not as much was happening. Another character was introduced specifically to drive a wedge between Arwen and Kane; I don't think he served any other purpose to the story, which was really annoying.
And Kane was fucking amazing despite his icky taste in women, present company included. It's always fun to watch these really dark, villainous MMC's slowly start to show their gooey centers.
I'll still continue the series, but the exciting parts of this series are evenly matched with the disappointments imo.
Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for this arc in exchange for an honest review!
June 10, 2024
this was second book syndrome at its finest. completely plotless, but 3 ⭐️ for the vibes *and* for being IMMENSELY“the prophecy” coded pt. 2!!! i’m telling you taylor wrote it for them, it’s true!
especially after that cliffhanger, i really sat here for a whole book of baloney to get to THAT ending??? i fear i will be reading the next one the immediate second it releases though 😔
especially after that cliffhanger, i really sat here for a whole book of baloney to get to THAT ending??? i fear i will be reading the next one the immediate second it releases though 😔
May 16, 2024
"Use me," he growled.
Spice: 🌶️
I knew the second book would be much better than the first one. The story showed so much promise regardless of its flaws. The author clearly refines her writing as she goes and this is shaping up to be an amazing story. I can't imagine how amazing A Reign of Rose might be. Sure, the romance is still pretty cringe, I did roll my eyes a bit, but it's also so sweet and wholesome. What I liked most, though, was how shocking the ending turned out to be. I did not see that coming. I am disturbed, anxious, and in desperate need of book 3.
Furthermore, Arwen becomes so much more interesting in this book. I appreciated the focus and effort the author put into her main character's arc. The depression representation alone was enough to make me like her in a way book 1 did not accomplish. She's still an oversharer at times, but her actions and words have a deeper meaning now. I just know her character development will reach epic proportions in book 3, especially after that ending. She's shaping up to be a total badass.
Moreover, Kane might remain your average, sexy male love interest, but getting his own point of view in this book made him much more likable, and gave his character the depth he deserved. He and Arwen have a pretty solid chemistry between them. I enjoyed their slow-burn romance, the tension, and, of course, the light smut. As I've already mentioned, they are often cringe, but it was more funny than annoying.
Lastly, my favorite secondary ship is Mari and Griffin. Their romance is the torturous kind of slow burn to the point where other characters in the book are begging them to get together already. It's hilarious. I also like their grumpy x sunshine energy a lot, where he is too uptight to admit his feelings to her (even though literally everyone knows and she is not in the mood to wait around for him, but also still does). I can't wait to see them as a couple at last. It'll be so awesome!!
Spice: 🌶️
I knew the second book would be much better than the first one. The story showed so much promise regardless of its flaws. The author clearly refines her writing as she goes and this is shaping up to be an amazing story. I can't imagine how amazing A Reign of Rose might be. Sure, the romance is still pretty cringe, I did roll my eyes a bit, but it's also so sweet and wholesome. What I liked most, though, was how shocking the ending turned out to be. I did not see that coming. I am disturbed, anxious, and in desperate need of book 3.
Furthermore, Arwen becomes so much more interesting in this book. I appreciated the focus and effort the author put into her main character's arc. The depression representation alone was enough to make me like her in a way book 1 did not accomplish. She's still an oversharer at times, but her actions and words have a deeper meaning now. I just know her character development will reach epic proportions in book 3, especially after that ending. She's shaping up to be a total badass.
Moreover, Kane might remain your average, sexy male love interest, but getting his own point of view in this book made him much more likable, and gave his character the depth he deserved. He and Arwen have a pretty solid chemistry between them. I enjoyed their slow-burn romance, the tension, and, of course, the light smut. As I've already mentioned, they are often cringe, but it was more funny than annoying.
Lastly, my favorite secondary ship is Mari and Griffin. Their romance is the torturous kind of slow burn to the point where other characters in the book are begging them to get together already. It's hilarious. I also like their grumpy x sunshine energy a lot, where he is too uptight to admit his feelings to her (even though literally everyone knows and she is not in the mood to wait around for him, but also still does). I can't wait to see them as a couple at last. It'll be so awesome!!
May 28, 2024
4.4 ⭐️
“You matter more to me. More than revenge, redemption—anything. Don’t you know I love you, Arwen? I’m in love with you. Desperately so. The way those sailors lost at sea love the bird that guides them home.” ❤️🕊️
No but guys…this is a GREAT series. It’s got some really good writing and the side characters are actually 10/10.
There’s real character and story development in book two, which is exactly what we want in a sequel 👌🏾
I’m a bit all over the place so can’t do real detailed reviews but a proper review may come down the line.
Overall, I’m recommending this one. I think it’s worth the read.
—————-———————————
Ignoring my TBR to continue this series. 🖤
“You matter more to me. More than revenge, redemption—anything. Don’t you know I love you, Arwen? I’m in love with you. Desperately so. The way those sailors lost at sea love the bird that guides them home.” ❤️🕊️
No but guys…this is a GREAT series. It’s got some really good writing and the side characters are actually 10/10.
There’s real character and story development in book two, which is exactly what we want in a sequel 👌🏾
I’m a bit all over the place so can’t do real detailed reviews but a proper review may come down the line.
Overall, I’m recommending this one. I think it’s worth the read.
—————-———————————
Ignoring my TBR to continue this series. 🖤
March 19, 2024
Hey, Kate, this is my official marriage proposal after reading this book.
Especially after that horny fight in the rain scene.
Especially after that horny fight in the rain scene.
April 9, 2024
book 2 of the sacred stones trilogy is and ANGSTY follow up to a dawn of onyx. after the events of book 1, arwen is trying to figure out her path without hurting everyone in her life. but it’s basically impossible. kane & arwen are basically at each other’s throat flopping between fighting and lust and I was living for their tension. kate does slow burn enemies to lovers so well.
for the sake of spoilers I can’t give a lot away, but this fantasy romance series is a super fun ride. I loved exploring the world more and there was so much action I was clutching my pearls more than once.
pick up this series if you love
✨ fantasy romance
✨ enemies to lovers
✨ slow burn
✨ touch her and 💀
✨ found family
thank you berkley, netgalley and kate for an arc. it’s out now 🖤
for the sake of spoilers I can’t give a lot away, but this fantasy romance series is a super fun ride. I loved exploring the world more and there was so much action I was clutching my pearls more than once.
pick up this series if you love
✨ fantasy romance
✨ enemies to lovers
✨ slow burn
✨ touch her and 💀
✨ found family
thank you berkley, netgalley and kate for an arc. it’s out now 🖤
April 2, 2024
arc copy provided in exchange for an honest review.
this was so addictive and captivating! i finished a dawn of onyx fully OBSESSED with this couple, and a promise of peridot did not disappoint. picking up shortly after the end of onyx, this book was quick to grab my attention and hold it, with loads of action and exciting new kingdoms.
“You matter more to me. More than revenge, redemption – anything.”
while i do think book #1 had a bit of a stronger plotline, peridot wasn’t lacking adventures or entertainment. and most importantly (for me, at least), it wasn’t lacking kane & arwen content. i did find myself a bit irritated by the vague love triangle (dare i say the cursed words) and the lengthy and repetitive fights, as it kinda started giving iron flame … those that know, know. but thankfully, once my loves finally got over it, it was worth the wait!
“A light like yours cannot be dampened by circumstance.”
we got more of our favourite side characters, plus some gorgeous character development from arwen – she was so strong in this book, always fighting back and never giving up, and i loved watching her growth. i also loved the new fantasy elements and fascinating new places – sometimes i thought the actual circumstances that lead to the characters reaching those places were a bit random, but it was a fun ride!
now I just have to wait for book #3 to relieve me of that brutal ending…
thank you so much to kate golden for sending me this free copy in exchange for an honest review! definitely recommended to my fellow romantasy lovers 💕.
~~~
pre-read review: she got an arccccccc!!!!
so insanely excited!! gotta knock out some other arcs first, but cannot wait for this one!
this was so addictive and captivating! i finished a dawn of onyx fully OBSESSED with this couple, and a promise of peridot did not disappoint. picking up shortly after the end of onyx, this book was quick to grab my attention and hold it, with loads of action and exciting new kingdoms.
“You matter more to me. More than revenge, redemption – anything.”
while i do think book #1 had a bit of a stronger plotline, peridot wasn’t lacking adventures or entertainment. and most importantly (for me, at least), it wasn’t lacking kane & arwen content. i did find myself a bit irritated by the vague love triangle (dare i say the cursed words) and the lengthy and repetitive fights, as it kinda started giving iron flame … those that know, know. but thankfully, once my loves finally got over it, it was worth the wait!
“A light like yours cannot be dampened by circumstance.”
we got more of our favourite side characters, plus some gorgeous character development from arwen – she was so strong in this book, always fighting back and never giving up, and i loved watching her growth. i also loved the new fantasy elements and fascinating new places – sometimes i thought the actual circumstances that lead to the characters reaching those places were a bit random, but it was a fun ride!
now I just have to wait for book #3 to relieve me of that brutal ending…
thank you so much to kate golden for sending me this free copy in exchange for an honest review! definitely recommended to my fellow romantasy lovers 💕.
~~~
pre-read review: she got an arccccccc!!!!
so insanely excited!! gotta knock out some other arcs first, but cannot wait for this one!
April 21, 2024
I’ve been reading through reviews and I’ve gotta say, I’m surprised by how fervently some people loved this. As middle books go, it was decent, but it wasn’t very eventful and it didn’t hold a candle to book one in my opinion.
I was annoyed by the obvious and unnecessary love triangle and the insta love between Kane and Arwen made very little sense when I added up all their interactions. I also don’t understand the urgency in rushing in half cocked just for her to die or present herself to the king on a silver platter. It would have made more sense for them to search out some other option or at least develop a more strategic plan. They’ve been looking for her all this time so why does the prophecy need to be enacted so immediately? It just didn’t really add up for me. I also wasn’t that shocked by the ending. Honestly, it was bold of them to assume they knew his motivations in the first place. He is a villain after all.
Ready for her to really come into her power in book three! Do we think she’ll be a dragon?
3.5 stars
I was annoyed by the obvious and unnecessary love triangle and the insta love between Kane and Arwen made very little sense when I added up all their interactions. I also don’t understand the urgency in rushing in half cocked just for her to die or present herself to the king on a silver platter. It would have made more sense for them to search out some other option or at least develop a more strategic plan. They’ve been looking for her all this time so why does the prophecy need to be enacted so immediately? It just didn’t really add up for me. I also wasn’t that shocked by the ending. Honestly, it was bold of them to assume they knew his motivations in the first place. He is a villain after all.
Ready for her to really come into her power in book three! Do we think she’ll be a dragon?
3.5 stars
March 4, 2024
Nope. I’m done.
This review is going to include spoilers. Go back now…
This review is going to include spoilers. Go back now…
Read
August 7, 2024DNF @ 20% I’m just not feeling it
July 12, 2024
**I was provided with an ARC for an honest review.**
wow wow WOW. I was getting heart eyes in the first book and I got my forehead kissed in this one.
The sequel quickly picks up on the aftermath of a great battle, a great loss, and our great heroine Arwen just burning everything in her sight like a little psycho. I mean as Kane would say....
"A breathtaking, violent goddess of fury"
꧁The Characters꧂
Arwen is back with her sassy attitude, tragic backstory and healing abilities but the secrets of her fate and lineage are slowly being uncovered and having even bigger ramifications than we first thought. But I gotta be honest, why was babygirl literally so depressed??! bahaha I'm not kidding, she went through a depressive spiral then a little crazy yolo energy spike then another crash and burn! It was hilarious to read until it wasn't…
"And even if there was a chance of my survival - even I could let myself believe in such a thing - I didn't particularly want the life that would stretch before me."
The girl was almost doing handstands through the stages of grief. Everything from her perspective felt frightened, emotions heightened and the general angst added a level of urgency to our looming battle ahead so you kept turning pages wondering how on earth they were going to pull this off...this being Kane's shirt
Kane our love interest, oh what to say about this cinnamon roll who looks like he can kill you. For a sequel, I wanted to develop upon all we learned in first book and finally get some deeper insights into his character, to really understand the core who is Kane? My conclusion: A sarcastic little shit
"I was in love with her. And it was a fucking nightmare."
I was literally cracking like a manic while reading his point of view. Kane made some very comedic moments and had hilarious commentary because he just wants to save the world dammit! Like when some prick tries to tag along on his quest when he wants time alone with his healer,
"The king and queen have requested I join you on the expedition for the Blade of the Sun."
"Sorry. Team's all full. Better luck next time."
There was no world, no reality, where I brought this imbecile along with us so he could insult me and ogle Arwen for the next few days."
He really is trying his best to save the world despite the odds going increasingly against him with every passing moment.
"Is there anything else you can tell us about the blade? About where it is in ? About our battle with ?"
"You must defeat him. You are the only hope either realm has."
"Yes." I gritted my teeth. "That I know."
I honestly have a love-hate relationship with his character because Kane is a redeeming grey character whose personality is sometimes written younger than his age is supposed to be. Like his backstory and abilities are dark and his morality is questionable but his point of view and actual actions are more .. angsty? borderline stupid ?? to the point of cuteness in the romance !!
"I should have apologized for my outburst after seeing her with . But I compelled myself to enter the guest room and close the door before I did something idiotic instead like kiss her. Or ask her to marry me"
But he do be dumb tho. Like I was honestly so disappointed by some nonstrategic moments that left me wondering how he had handled court life and politics before. To say that you don't have time to care who is sleeping with who?? When its someone you don't trust?? THAT IS IMPORTANT! Within our group of characters that I adore, we are missing some people-person's intelligence factors. Like we needed a spymaster or empath or mindreader. SOMEONE who considers the importance of alliances and politics ON TOP OF the actual armies and fighting here.
One thing that really impressed me was how developed the Secondary Characters were in this novel. And honestly, there was so many of them! I had to start highlighting their names to try and remember who was an ally, an enemy, or a relative
Mari the obligatory book best friend continues to develop her own plotline that aligns very closely with our heroine's. Mari is headstrong, and will always do what it takes for knowledge, just a classic Eldest Daughter perfectionism vibes. She's as flawed as Arwan but in different ways so we almost have less patience with her as readers.
Fedrik a Prince of a supposed ally country that was a hilarious addition to the group for his sassy comments but I'm calling Judas right now!
"Despite your clear lack of morals and piss-poor personality, you and I actually want the same thing."
Acorn the pet Strix which is a dangerous thing and i hope comes back for some cute dog dad scenes
Leigh the little sister, an artist, and pissed off that Arwen isn't able to fix everything and make it better so she is rude to her. This character was a perfect accumulation of naivety and innocence that is like nails down a chalkboard, and there was a whole sister fight that was honestly relatable.
Vaughn is my personal priority, we need to find him alive
Dagan The grouchy old man who is human is back and kinda has some -enlightenment Buddha- vibes here.
"Dagan considered me, curiosity and maybe... sympathy in his eyes. Then, as if a light had gone off inside hsi mind, he drew in a breath that lifted his brows.
"What?" I asked, more edge creeping into my voice than I intended.
"You've given up."
And with that, he stood, returned his swords to his back, and began to walk away."
Then there's also the seer, the seer's daughter Esme, the seer's daughter's daughter I don't remember her name but she's important too!
And the bad boiii, that is honestly just fun to hate on! He is so pathetic you almost feel bad for him but he's like a parasite you cant stop from sucking the blood off whenever he near so you gotta STaMP TAHT SHIT
Griffin has grown into literally everything I want from a secondary character especially one who is wingman to our love interest! He has his own OPINION and backstory that is often used IN CONFLICT with our heroine because it forces Arwan to stand up for herself and move the plot forward.
In this book, Griffin's character truly develops into the small details of a character that i love like how he lost his parents in the rebellion and feels guilty and can't suffer anymore losses so he's afraid to LOVE and it is so tragic and I EAT THAT SHIT UP!
"Griffin, tramped onto the beach, deliberate as always, though his eyes beheld a subtle brightness. He had gone from a glorified babysitter stuck in a foreign city without his friend or his woman to a man on an ADVENTURE with the only people in his world he even remotely liked. I would call this version of Grffin almost gleeful"
I swear to god I will be LIIVIDDD if anything happens to this man
I absolutely loved the foreshadowing of important characters and objects at other kingdoms because it makes perfect sense to keep track of people's abilities and makes me excited to see what future interactions we'll save.
The little amulet from the first book becomes a huge important artifact in this book. That lightbulb moment when a small item from the first book provides the needed backstory for our characters to move forward! It's creative as hell and becomes a huge plot development for our characters and meeting a new one that I loved seeing this item come full circle... GO AROUND AGAIN! My theories for the next book?
I am legit intrigued by a particularly savage race of Fae called Hemolich.
I can't wait to meet the White Crow!
be careful what you let him do to you, he isn't right in the mind
I was totally onto it with Drake Alcott when Ryder talked about him being a most brilliant thief to ever live and I know that's going to be important later
꧁World Building꧂
The concept of Sacred Stones is definitely unique where each stone is a kingdom and makes you want to picture the beauty of Pearl Kingdom and its libraries. This book definitely allows our heroine to travel to all the places Arwen's never read about...because the chick legit knows nothing! This worked well to have the differences explained to us as readers because she was so unsure about the world she was now fighting to save
Crag's Hollow the cutest little gloomy coastal town over an ancient glacial lake, the dark water of Lake Stygian
Hemlock Isle serves as the largest and most treacherous prison in all of Evendell
Siren's Bay
Amber was the most devout kingdom with temples, priests
Pearl Kingdom From the subtle comments about its huge libraries full of seer's words, their scholars and priests. The author made me picture it and want to go there in this book... *ekk i really really hope we do soon!*
I absolutely love it when I can picture the places with my characters, and them engaging with the environment just adds to the danger of the bookish world on TOP of the whole war thing going on.
But I am still trying to understand the mythology of it all. . There are Fae, Witches are now rare, Pirates, Onxy and Peridot solders, Gareth's army, Faerie lighte that can be DRAINED oh that's gonna be a whole thing probably!!, Fae Gods.
꧁The Plot꧂
While the first book had a very strong plot of learning our abilities and using them against the hot king, this one struggled a little with the sequel slump because Arwen was honestly in denial. Depression. And mostly trying to process the knowledge from the first book and figure out how exactly we gonna do it. I'm not totally impressed by the military strategy here or long term thinking of our characters because it all seems pretty much like a slow train crash right now.
꧁Writing Style꧂
I absolutely loved that the the author labeled our chapter's point of view change (it's a small detail you don't appreciate UNTIL ITS GONE!) but I could also FEEL the perspective change!
Arwen had more sass and the phrase "big ugly tears" was the most relatable thing I've ever read
Whereas Kane has been fighting this battle for a long time and fear is BACK in his life from his desire to protect and the author's writing of the tension was perfectly built up
"Fear - true and genine fear hammered through my heart.
"I think..." I could feel what Arwen felt. Could feel her being tethered to something, my back, mirroring hers, bound to some kind of pole. "I think someone has her." My voice was hoarse."
I SCREAMED!! The perspective switching kept me hooked and engaged where I was almost mad at Kate Golden for cutting me off in the middle of a great scene but the wait made it even better...
But now I must address my biggest critique of the first book...'reading blueballs'
Oh it's real. And it really AINT in this sequel!
"How long are you going to pretend to be asleep?"
THAT LINE ALONG MADE ME BLUSH AND THIS BOOK WAS SPICEY YALL! This book definitely moved the series to New Adult with the amount of cursing elevated and sensual scenes were just as good
"And I almost fucked her - her first time, too - in some nondescript Azurine alleyway. Fucking deplorable."
I was honestly very shocked by the ending, it was a total cliffhanger so be aware of that going in! But I also just had not seen it coming with that bad guy trope being used in this series!! and I have no idea how to feel about it. On one hand I love having a flat-out bad guy with a clear motive... but I just hadn't really seen that veer off coming. so. trigger warning might be necessary for next book?
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book because of the dynamic characters with unique personalities and powers that are both fighting to save what's important to them ... only to discover it's each other. ekkkkkk come on that's just cute! But this book felt incredibly slow with fewer direct battles and confrontations. It was mostly our characters processing the ramifications of the first and our characters trying to game plan how to move forward... so give me book 3 I AM READY! I love the build-up that the author has woven towards confronting our bad guy and trying to rally out characters to greatness but felt unsatisfied by this book's progress... even if i was much more satisifed by the SPICE LEVEL RISING !!
wow wow WOW. I was getting heart eyes in the first book and I got my forehead kissed in this one.
The sequel quickly picks up on the aftermath of a great battle, a great loss, and our great heroine Arwen just burning everything in her sight like a little psycho. I mean as Kane would say....
"A breathtaking, violent goddess of fury"
꧁The Characters꧂
Arwen is back with her sassy attitude, tragic backstory and healing abilities but the secrets of her fate and lineage are slowly being uncovered and having even bigger ramifications than we first thought. But I gotta be honest, why was babygirl literally so depressed??! bahaha I'm not kidding, she went through a depressive spiral then a little crazy yolo energy spike then another crash and burn! It was hilarious to read until it wasn't…
"And even if there was a chance of my survival - even I could let myself believe in such a thing - I didn't particularly want the life that would stretch before me."
The girl was almost doing handstands through the stages of grief. Everything from her perspective felt frightened, emotions heightened and the general angst added a level of urgency to our looming battle ahead so you kept turning pages wondering how on earth they were going to pull this off...this being Kane's shirt
Kane our love interest, oh what to say about this cinnamon roll who looks like he can kill you. For a sequel, I wanted to develop upon all we learned in first book and finally get some deeper insights into his character, to really understand the core who is Kane? My conclusion: A sarcastic little shit
"I was in love with her. And it was a fucking nightmare."
I was literally cracking like a manic while reading his point of view. Kane made some very comedic moments and had hilarious commentary because he just wants to save the world dammit! Like when some prick tries to tag along on his quest when he wants time alone with his healer,
"The king and queen have requested I join you on the expedition for the Blade of the Sun."
"Sorry. Team's all full. Better luck next time."
There was no world, no reality, where I brought this imbecile along with us so he could insult me and ogle Arwen for the next few days."
He really is trying his best to save the world despite the odds going increasingly against him with every passing moment.
"Is there anything else you can tell us about the blade? About where it is in ? About our battle with ?"
"You must defeat him. You are the only hope either realm has."
"Yes." I gritted my teeth. "That I know."
I honestly have a love-hate relationship with his character because Kane is a redeeming grey character whose personality is sometimes written younger than his age is supposed to be. Like his backstory and abilities are dark and his morality is questionable but his point of view and actual actions are more .. angsty? borderline stupid ?? to the point of cuteness in the romance !!
"I should have apologized for my outburst after seeing her with . But I compelled myself to enter the guest room and close the door before I did something idiotic instead like kiss her. Or ask her to marry me"
But he do be dumb tho. Like I was honestly so disappointed by some nonstrategic moments that left me wondering how he had handled court life and politics before. To say that you don't have time to care who is sleeping with who?? When its someone you don't trust?? THAT IS IMPORTANT! Within our group of characters that I adore, we are missing some people-person's intelligence factors. Like we needed a spymaster or empath or mindreader. SOMEONE who considers the importance of alliances and politics ON TOP OF the actual armies and fighting here.
One thing that really impressed me was how developed the Secondary Characters were in this novel. And honestly, there was so many of them! I had to start highlighting their names to try and remember who was an ally, an enemy, or a relative
Mari the obligatory book best friend continues to develop her own plotline that aligns very closely with our heroine's. Mari is headstrong, and will always do what it takes for knowledge, just a classic Eldest Daughter perfectionism vibes. She's as flawed as Arwan but in different ways so we almost have less patience with her as readers.
Fedrik a Prince of a supposed ally country that was a hilarious addition to the group for his sassy comments but I'm calling Judas right now!
"Despite your clear lack of morals and piss-poor personality, you and I actually want the same thing."
Acorn the pet Strix which is a dangerous thing and i hope comes back for some cute dog dad scenes
Leigh the little sister, an artist, and pissed off that Arwen isn't able to fix everything and make it better so she is rude to her. This character was a perfect accumulation of naivety and innocence that is like nails down a chalkboard, and there was a whole sister fight that was honestly relatable.
Vaughn is my personal priority, we need to find him alive
Dagan The grouchy old man who is human is back and kinda has some -enlightenment Buddha- vibes here.
"Dagan considered me, curiosity and maybe... sympathy in his eyes. Then, as if a light had gone off inside hsi mind, he drew in a breath that lifted his brows.
"What?" I asked, more edge creeping into my voice than I intended.
"You've given up."
And with that, he stood, returned his swords to his back, and began to walk away."
Then there's also the seer, the seer's daughter Esme, the seer's daughter's daughter I don't remember her name but she's important too!
And the bad boiii, that is honestly just fun to hate on! He is so pathetic you almost feel bad for him but he's like a parasite you cant stop from sucking the blood off whenever he near so you gotta STaMP TAHT SHIT
Griffin has grown into literally everything I want from a secondary character especially one who is wingman to our love interest! He has his own OPINION and backstory that is often used IN CONFLICT with our heroine because it forces Arwan to stand up for herself and move the plot forward.
In this book, Griffin's character truly develops into the small details of a character that i love like how he lost his parents in the rebellion and feels guilty and can't suffer anymore losses so he's afraid to LOVE and it is so tragic and I EAT THAT SHIT UP!
"Griffin, tramped onto the beach, deliberate as always, though his eyes beheld a subtle brightness. He had gone from a glorified babysitter stuck in a foreign city without his friend or his woman to a man on an ADVENTURE with the only people in his world he even remotely liked. I would call this version of Grffin almost gleeful"
I swear to god I will be LIIVIDDD if anything happens to this man
I absolutely loved the foreshadowing of important characters and objects at other kingdoms because it makes perfect sense to keep track of people's abilities and makes me excited to see what future interactions we'll save.
The little amulet from the first book becomes a huge important artifact in this book. That lightbulb moment when a small item from the first book provides the needed backstory for our characters to move forward! It's creative as hell and becomes a huge plot development for our characters and meeting a new one that I loved seeing this item come full circle... GO AROUND AGAIN! My theories for the next book?
I am legit intrigued by a particularly savage race of Fae called Hemolich.
I can't wait to meet the White Crow!
be careful what you let him do to you, he isn't right in the mind
I was totally onto it with Drake Alcott when Ryder talked about him being a most brilliant thief to ever live and I know that's going to be important later
꧁World Building꧂
The concept of Sacred Stones is definitely unique where each stone is a kingdom and makes you want to picture the beauty of Pearl Kingdom and its libraries. This book definitely allows our heroine to travel to all the places Arwen's never read about...because the chick legit knows nothing! This worked well to have the differences explained to us as readers because she was so unsure about the world she was now fighting to save
Crag's Hollow the cutest little gloomy coastal town over an ancient glacial lake, the dark water of Lake Stygian
Hemlock Isle serves as the largest and most treacherous prison in all of Evendell
Siren's Bay
Amber was the most devout kingdom with temples, priests
Pearl Kingdom From the subtle comments about its huge libraries full of seer's words, their scholars and priests. The author made me picture it and want to go there in this book... *ekk i really really hope we do soon!*
I absolutely love it when I can picture the places with my characters, and them engaging with the environment just adds to the danger of the bookish world on TOP of the whole war thing going on.
But I am still trying to understand the mythology of it all. . There are Fae, Witches are now rare, Pirates, Onxy and Peridot solders, Gareth's army, Faerie lighte that can be DRAINED oh that's gonna be a whole thing probably!!, Fae Gods.
꧁The Plot꧂
While the first book had a very strong plot of learning our abilities and using them against the hot king, this one struggled a little with the sequel slump because Arwen was honestly in denial. Depression. And mostly trying to process the knowledge from the first book and figure out how exactly we gonna do it. I'm not totally impressed by the military strategy here or long term thinking of our characters because it all seems pretty much like a slow train crash right now.
꧁Writing Style꧂
I absolutely loved that the the author labeled our chapter's point of view change (it's a small detail you don't appreciate UNTIL ITS GONE!) but I could also FEEL the perspective change!
Arwen had more sass and the phrase "big ugly tears" was the most relatable thing I've ever read
Whereas Kane has been fighting this battle for a long time and fear is BACK in his life from his desire to protect and the author's writing of the tension was perfectly built up
"Fear - true and genine fear hammered through my heart.
"I think..." I could feel what Arwen felt. Could feel her being tethered to something, my back, mirroring hers, bound to some kind of pole. "I think someone has her." My voice was hoarse."
I SCREAMED!! The perspective switching kept me hooked and engaged where I was almost mad at Kate Golden for cutting me off in the middle of a great scene but the wait made it even better...
But now I must address my biggest critique of the first book...'reading blueballs'
Oh it's real. And it really AINT in this sequel!
"How long are you going to pretend to be asleep?"
THAT LINE ALONG MADE ME BLUSH AND THIS BOOK WAS SPICEY YALL! This book definitely moved the series to New Adult with the amount of cursing elevated and sensual scenes were just as good
"And I almost fucked her - her first time, too - in some nondescript Azurine alleyway. Fucking deplorable."
I was honestly very shocked by the ending, it was a total cliffhanger so be aware of that going in! But I also just had not seen it coming with that bad guy trope being used in this series!! and I have no idea how to feel about it. On one hand I love having a flat-out bad guy with a clear motive... but I just hadn't really seen that veer off coming. so. trigger warning might be necessary for next book?
Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book because of the dynamic characters with unique personalities and powers that are both fighting to save what's important to them ... only to discover it's each other. ekkkkkk come on that's just cute! But this book felt incredibly slow with fewer direct battles and confrontations. It was mostly our characters processing the ramifications of the first and our characters trying to game plan how to move forward... so give me book 3 I AM READY! I love the build-up that the author has woven towards confronting our bad guy and trying to rally out characters to greatness but felt unsatisfied by this book's progress... even if i was much more satisifed by the SPICE LEVEL RISING !!
January 2, 2024
EVERY. SINGLE. STAR.
but I’m gonna need a minute 😭😭😭
but I’m gonna need a minute 😭😭😭
October 13, 2024
Full review incoming! I can't wait to finish the last book in the series =)
May 8, 2024
UMM EXCUSE ME KATE! HOW DARE YOU!
Wowwowwow. The way that this book and this series as a whole has consumed me. Kate Golden has somehow taken all of the aspects that I LOVE from my favorite romantasy books and wrapped them up together in this series.. and for that I bow to her!
The pacing through this whole book was almost perfect.. given that Arwen was a bit annoying in the beginning. I loved the sort of adventure/scavenger hunt plot line because it felt new and different from book one. We also meet a few new characters *cough cough Fredrick cough cough* and get a little bit more intricate world building.
The Plot Twist... Kate we need to have a talk!
I did not see the ending coming one bit, and was completely shook by the epilogue. I literally have no idea what I will do with myself waiting for book three on October.
Wowwowwow. The way that this book and this series as a whole has consumed me. Kate Golden has somehow taken all of the aspects that I LOVE from my favorite romantasy books and wrapped them up together in this series.. and for that I bow to her!
The pacing through this whole book was almost perfect.. given that Arwen was a bit annoying in the beginning. I loved the sort of adventure/scavenger hunt plot line because it felt new and different from book one. We also meet a few new characters *cough cough Fredrick cough cough* and get a little bit more intricate world building.
The Plot Twist... Kate we need to have a talk!
I did not see the ending coming one bit, and was completely shook by the epilogue. I literally have no idea what I will do with myself waiting for book three on October.
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October 18, 2024I’m on BookTube now! =)
It’s finally time I read this because I was given an ARC of “A Promise of Peridot” by NetGalley and the author a couple of months ago.
I’m very sorry I didn’t get to this sooner but my life has been extremely busy and the flood we had in Austria a couple of weeks ago certainly didn’t help. >_<
Anyway: I’m going to read this now and I’m so ready to find out how Arwen’s and Kane’s story is going to continue. I absolutely loved the first book and after the ending I can’t wait to read this one. I think Kane might get knee pains from all the grovelling he’s about to do, though. *lol*
Just a guess. XD
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It’s finally time I read this because I was given an ARC of “A Promise of Peridot” by NetGalley and the author a couple of months ago.
I’m very sorry I didn’t get to this sooner but my life has been extremely busy and the flood we had in Austria a couple of weeks ago certainly didn’t help. >_<
Anyway: I’m going to read this now and I’m so ready to find out how Arwen’s and Kane’s story is going to continue. I absolutely loved the first book and after the ending I can’t wait to read this one. I think Kane might get knee pains from all the grovelling he’s about to do, though. *lol*
Just a guess. XD
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My Blog
April 27, 2024
omg omg omg ? 😀 alexa play the prophecy
April 14, 2024
This book needs to calm the fuck down. There was no need to try to get me pregnant... Jesus. And A Promise of Peridot isn't even what I would consider to be smut.
But what can I say? Kane is a fucking broody and moody daddy. I'd watch him slice down all my enemies in one fell swoop all day err day. I don't know what crawled up Arwen's ass and died, but she made him grovel for wayyy too long in this sequel. Not that the horny fae shit wasn't an absolute delight. (Especially when they were slaughtering bandits in the rain and simultaneously having a lover's quarrel.) Okurrrr! Seriously, though, Kane's character took a major turn for the better. Although he continued to be that morally grey, impatient, ruthless character, he grew up a lot throughout the story... but he's still a sarcastic little shithead. I was eating his chapters up like crack. His POV was my favorite, probably because I, too, am a sarcastic little shithead. He looks like a grizzly, but when you squeeze him there's a squeaker inside.
Arwen had a lot of character development, too. She wasn't as much of a little bitch when it came to fear, and really came into her "boss-ass fae queen who can legit murder everyone with a flick-of-tha-wrist" era💁🏼♀️ I didn't like how hateful she was the first half of the book, though. Like girl... Get the fuck over it. Trust me, you don't wanna go out with frown lines like that. The mortician is gonna have a hard time fixing that shit if a Widow happens to yeet you off her back🕷️🕸️
As always, we stan Griffin who looks like he could kill you, but is a cinnamon roll❤️ Mari is also a fave with her sassy, witchy attitude.
Can we talk about world building, thooo?! Hemlock Isle seemed so fucking cool, serving as a prison island where the most dangerous criminals are sent. All the different kingdoms--Citrine, Amber, Onyx. Of course Crag's Hollow--which I would love to be my gloomy little coastal home. You can really imagine all these places, so I think Kate Golden really nailed the world building.🌎
This book was so worth it imo. It's written in a dual POV writing style, which I loved. It's a great book if you're looking for an enemies-to-lovers romantasy series. The plot in this sequel unfolds so much smoother than in the first book, I think. There's more depth to it and definitely more action and adventure. The characters also reveal their various layers. Thus, I enjoyed The Promise of Peridot a little better than A Dawn of Onyx. I am looking forward to reading A Reign of Rose in October.🎃
"Don't you know why I call you bird? Because when I met you, I felt hope. Birds soar through the dawn each morning, as sure as the sun rising in the east--the promise of something new regardless of what came before. Hope always has wings."
A Dawn of Onyx: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
A Promise of Peridot: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
A Reign of Rose: TBD
But what can I say? Kane is a fucking broody and moody daddy. I'd watch him slice down all my enemies in one fell swoop all day err day. I don't know what crawled up Arwen's ass and died, but she made him grovel for wayyy too long in this sequel. Not that the horny fae shit wasn't an absolute delight. (Especially when they were slaughtering bandits in the rain and simultaneously having a lover's quarrel.) Okurrrr! Seriously, though, Kane's character took a major turn for the better. Although he continued to be that morally grey, impatient, ruthless character, he grew up a lot throughout the story... but he's still a sarcastic little shithead. I was eating his chapters up like crack. His POV was my favorite, probably because I, too, am a sarcastic little shithead. He looks like a grizzly, but when you squeeze him there's a squeaker inside.
Arwen had a lot of character development, too. She wasn't as much of a little bitch when it came to fear, and really came into her "boss-ass fae queen who can legit murder everyone with a flick-of-tha-wrist" era💁🏼♀️ I didn't like how hateful she was the first half of the book, though. Like girl... Get the fuck over it. Trust me, you don't wanna go out with frown lines like that. The mortician is gonna have a hard time fixing that shit if a Widow happens to yeet you off her back🕷️🕸️
As always, we stan Griffin who looks like he could kill you, but is a cinnamon roll❤️ Mari is also a fave with her sassy, witchy attitude.
Can we talk about world building, thooo?! Hemlock Isle seemed so fucking cool, serving as a prison island where the most dangerous criminals are sent. All the different kingdoms--Citrine, Amber, Onyx. Of course Crag's Hollow--which I would love to be my gloomy little coastal home. You can really imagine all these places, so I think Kate Golden really nailed the world building.🌎
This book was so worth it imo. It's written in a dual POV writing style, which I loved. It's a great book if you're looking for an enemies-to-lovers romantasy series. The plot in this sequel unfolds so much smoother than in the first book, I think. There's more depth to it and definitely more action and adventure. The characters also reveal their various layers. Thus, I enjoyed The Promise of Peridot a little better than A Dawn of Onyx. I am looking forward to reading A Reign of Rose in October.🎃
"Don't you know why I call you bird? Because when I met you, I felt hope. Birds soar through the dawn each morning, as sure as the sun rising in the east--the promise of something new regardless of what came before. Hope always has wings."
A Dawn of Onyx: ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
A Promise of Peridot: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
A Reign of Rose: TBD
April 17, 2024
5 mf’n stars 😌
This book was an absolute blast from start to finish. Fast paced, swoony. I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen next.
Kane? Put him in the book boyfriend hall of fame. Immediately.
Kane thinking [redacted] looked wise but wouldn’t trust [redacted] near his woman nearly sent me into orbit.
Cannot WAIT to read the next installment and see where Arwen & Kane’s journey takes them.
For the fantasy romance girlies 🫡
This book was an absolute blast from start to finish. Fast paced, swoony. I was on the edge of my seat waiting to see what would happen next.
Kane? Put him in the book boyfriend hall of fame. Immediately.
Kane thinking [redacted] looked wise but wouldn’t trust [redacted] near his woman nearly sent me into orbit.
Cannot WAIT to read the next installment and see where Arwen & Kane’s journey takes them.
For the fantasy romance girlies 🫡
April 9, 2024
3.5⭐️
Thank you so much to Berkley, PRH Audio, and Netgalley for providing advanced copies of this book! All thoughts and opinions are still my own.
This series is just such a fun time. It fits right into the current fantasy romance trend and hits all the beats you're looking for.
Keeping this spoiler free - I really enjoyed the character growth our heroine goes through after the events of book 1. She's definitely a frustrating character for much of this story, but I really appreciated the depiction of grief and responsibility. Particularly responsibility she didn't ask for.
The relationships in this definitely get messy. Which made for a more "realistic" feeling read - since I know I wouldn't be happy in this situation.
I also enjoyed where this one is heading - even though I didn't find anything surprising the story is well executed and engaging.
Overall I just think this is a really fun series. I didn't enjoy it quite as much as book 1. But I think that's just because so much of this book was internal character development.
And I'm glad this series is only 3 books long because I definitely want to know the ending asap!
Thank you so much to Berkley, PRH Audio, and Netgalley for providing advanced copies of this book! All thoughts and opinions are still my own.
This series is just such a fun time. It fits right into the current fantasy romance trend and hits all the beats you're looking for.
Keeping this spoiler free - I really enjoyed the character growth our heroine goes through after the events of book 1. She's definitely a frustrating character for much of this story, but I really appreciated the depiction of grief and responsibility. Particularly responsibility she didn't ask for.
The relationships in this definitely get messy. Which made for a more "realistic" feeling read - since I know I wouldn't be happy in this situation.
I also enjoyed where this one is heading - even though I didn't find anything surprising the story is well executed and engaging.
Overall I just think this is a really fun series. I didn't enjoy it quite as much as book 1. But I think that's just because so much of this book was internal character development.
And I'm glad this series is only 3 books long because I definitely want to know the ending asap!
May 4, 2024
The first book was your typical predictable romantasy that I felt like I read a million times before but still had a good time and enjoyed it regardless. However this being the second book in the trilogy, I was expecting more and it just fell flat. Tbh I’m more invested in the side characters than the main characters. I just really feel no connection to the FMC and MMC, and it’s just TOO predictable at this point. The plot wasn’t enough to make up for it. Still undecided as to whether or not I’ll be finishing this series… we shall see.
March 20, 2024
4.5 🌟 the ENDING?
This was an excellent sequel to A Dawn of Onyx, one of my favorite romantasy reads. This book picks up immediately where book one left off and never stops moving. This book is fast paced, action packed, romantic, spicy, and jaw dropping. The amount of times I said “WHAT” with my jaw hanging open is absurd (in the best way).
We get some more answers from questions raised in book one and more depth and background into the main characters. Arwen’s character growth is excellent and exactly what I needed from her. Kane is my morally gray swoony king and I loved getting his backstory, no matter how heart wrenching it was.
This book constantly had me on the edge of my seat wanting more and it delivered. I really felt like it never stopped moving with the action and drama and I was so invested. Kane and Arwen broke my heart so many times and then put it back together.
The last 40 pages literally had me sweating and the epilogue? Jail! I loved this sequel so much and cannot wait for book 3.
This was an excellent sequel to A Dawn of Onyx, one of my favorite romantasy reads. This book picks up immediately where book one left off and never stops moving. This book is fast paced, action packed, romantic, spicy, and jaw dropping. The amount of times I said “WHAT” with my jaw hanging open is absurd (in the best way).
We get some more answers from questions raised in book one and more depth and background into the main characters. Arwen’s character growth is excellent and exactly what I needed from her. Kane is my morally gray swoony king and I loved getting his backstory, no matter how heart wrenching it was.
This book constantly had me on the edge of my seat wanting more and it delivered. I really felt like it never stopped moving with the action and drama and I was so invested. Kane and Arwen broke my heart so many times and then put it back together.
The last 40 pages literally had me sweating and the epilogue? Jail! I loved this sequel so much and cannot wait for book 3.
May 31, 2024
4 stars 🌟
RTC!
[TW: death and murder, blood and gore, gambling and stripping, death of loved ones, depictions of grief, childhood abuse mentioned]
RTC!
[TW: death and murder, blood and gore, gambling and stripping, death of loved ones, depictions of grief, childhood abuse mentioned]
December 22, 2023
An absolute 5 ⭐️ read!!
I feel so incredibly honored to be able to be an ARC reader for this series 🙌 I’ve been genuinely counting down the days until I was able to get A Promise of Peridot and it not only held up, but was one of the best reads I’ve had this year. 🌟
Saying I’m obsessed with this world and these characters is an understatement. ❤️ I wasn’t sure how it would be coming back to them for book 2, but Kate has somehow made the story even better (I didn’t even realize it was possible!).
——————————————
Thoughts:
- Spicy scenes! There was some normal spice throughout the first half, but i was waiting (and hoping) for more and it did happen 🥵 i think it was 75% of the way through and it was really good😅 and felt really earned after all they went through in this book.
- Arwen. There were times I struggled with Arwen in this book because she was holding on to this hate in her that showed itself against Kane, but towards the end you can understand how it’s all a defense mechanism against the hopelessness of her guaranteed impending death. Knowing that she was literally born to die and has to sacrifice herself is damaging her so much that she purposely pushes everyone away and lashes out at Kane. It was tough at times, but once you understand her mental state, I greatly sympathized with her. There was a moment where she went through full acceptance of it and it was incredibly beautiful and devastating. 😭❤️ Also, her life/father/storyline was giving Jesus vibes 😂
- I really LOVE how there’s no absolute power in this series. It bothers me so much when others books have characters that are just so powerful they have the power of everything, because then it doesn’t make the fight against evil very realistic (I know it’s fantasy, but still). What’s the point when you have absolute power fighting absolute power? I love how the Fae aren’t totally powerful, how there are other magical people (i.e. Mer people, and Aleksander’s army made up of those other types) that are all on the same plain of power. It makes it so you really don’t know the outcome, and even whoever wins it’s not like their rulers of everything (especially since there are so many realms!). Given that their power comes from elements around them, it kind of reminds me of Grisha or something like that.
- The side characters are literally just as amazing as the main characters. I’m obsessed with Griffin and Mari. And Dagan is legit the best. I also love how there aren’t too many to try to keep track of. Kate does a fantastic job and bringing in people - but also removing them - to fit the story.
- I didn’t see the ending coming and it went in a much more interesting direction and potential future than what I was expecting. Also could lead to a pretty dark third book, which I’m extremely really excited for. (Though… after that night with Kane, Arwen never made the brew 👀 so it may be too late for Lazarus’ plans 🤷♀️🤞)
- Finally, I truly think that this is my favorite romantasy series I’ve ever read. Partially due to the originality of it - so many romantasy stories are copy and pastes of each other and other stories, but Kate truly showed how unique her world and story writing is with this second book. ❤️ Sorry for the essay review! I just love this series so much 😭❤️
Side note: I can’t handle finishing stories I truly love so I actually read this all in one day back in November up until 95% mark, then stopped because I didn’t want it to end 😭 and then did a full reread and finished it. As someone who rarely rereads books, it says a lot that I’m now wanting to reread it for a third time!
I feel so incredibly honored to be able to be an ARC reader for this series 🙌 I’ve been genuinely counting down the days until I was able to get A Promise of Peridot and it not only held up, but was one of the best reads I’ve had this year. 🌟
Saying I’m obsessed with this world and these characters is an understatement. ❤️ I wasn’t sure how it would be coming back to them for book 2, but Kate has somehow made the story even better (I didn’t even realize it was possible!).
——————————————
Thoughts:
- Spicy scenes! There was some normal spice throughout the first half, but i was waiting (and hoping) for more and it did happen 🥵 i think it was 75% of the way through and it was really good😅 and felt really earned after all they went through in this book.
- Arwen. There were times I struggled with Arwen in this book because she was holding on to this hate in her that showed itself against Kane, but towards the end you can understand how it’s all a defense mechanism against the hopelessness of her guaranteed impending death. Knowing that she was literally born to die and has to sacrifice herself is damaging her so much that she purposely pushes everyone away and lashes out at Kane. It was tough at times, but once you understand her mental state, I greatly sympathized with her. There was a moment where she went through full acceptance of it and it was incredibly beautiful and devastating. 😭❤️ Also, her life/father/storyline was giving Jesus vibes 😂
- I really LOVE how there’s no absolute power in this series. It bothers me so much when others books have characters that are just so powerful they have the power of everything, because then it doesn’t make the fight against evil very realistic (I know it’s fantasy, but still). What’s the point when you have absolute power fighting absolute power? I love how the Fae aren’t totally powerful, how there are other magical people (i.e. Mer people, and Aleksander’s army made up of those other types) that are all on the same plain of power. It makes it so you really don’t know the outcome, and even whoever wins it’s not like their rulers of everything (especially since there are so many realms!). Given that their power comes from elements around them, it kind of reminds me of Grisha or something like that.
- The side characters are literally just as amazing as the main characters. I’m obsessed with Griffin and Mari. And Dagan is legit the best. I also love how there aren’t too many to try to keep track of. Kate does a fantastic job and bringing in people - but also removing them - to fit the story.
- I didn’t see the ending coming and it went in a much more interesting direction and potential future than what I was expecting. Also could lead to a pretty dark third book, which I’m extremely really excited for. (Though… after that night with Kane, Arwen never made the brew 👀 so it may be too late for Lazarus’ plans 🤷♀️🤞)
- Finally, I truly think that this is my favorite romantasy series I’ve ever read. Partially due to the originality of it - so many romantasy stories are copy and pastes of each other and other stories, but Kate truly showed how unique her world and story writing is with this second book. ❤️ Sorry for the essay review! I just love this series so much 😭❤️
Side note: I can’t handle finishing stories I truly love so I actually read this all in one day back in November up until 95% mark, then stopped because I didn’t want it to end 😭 and then did a full reread and finished it. As someone who rarely rereads books, it says a lot that I’m now wanting to reread it for a third time!
May 22, 2024
This was book 2 in The Sacred Stones series and W O W!
This novel picks up where A Dawn of Onyx left off, and the story is told from Kane and Arwen’s POV as they search for a way to change the atrocious future that plagues them..
Kane and Arwen have a strained relationship, and they’re doing everything to avoid how they physically feel about each other.
This book had me flip flopping from Kane’s to Arwen’s team! I loved the way that he thought about/viewed Arwen and I found myself rooting for them every step of the way after my heart was done weeping for them!
There’s some love brewing with the secondary characters & I think I’m here for it!
The author expands the world well with the political turmoil, magic system, creatures & cultures.
The information & reveals throughout this story were so well done so PLEASE READ THIS SERIES FOR YOURSELF!
This novel picks up where A Dawn of Onyx left off, and the story is told from Kane and Arwen’s POV as they search for a way to change the atrocious future that plagues them..
Kane and Arwen have a strained relationship, and they’re doing everything to avoid how they physically feel about each other.
This book had me flip flopping from Kane’s to Arwen’s team! I loved the way that he thought about/viewed Arwen and I found myself rooting for them every step of the way after my heart was done weeping for them!
There’s some love brewing with the secondary characters & I think I’m here for it!
The author expands the world well with the political turmoil, magic system, creatures & cultures.
The information & reveals throughout this story were so well done so PLEASE READ THIS SERIES FOR YOURSELF!
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