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. Still reeling from the loss of her mother and the shock of her newfound powers, Arwen directs all of her pain and rage toward the man who betrayed her: King Kane Ravenwood.
But Kane’s presence is unavoidable as he leads Arwen and her friends on an expedition to recover the Blade of the Sun—a legendary weapon with the power to kill tyrannical Fae King Lazarus. Their uneasy truce proves difficult to maintain, as Arwen battles her unresolved feelings, and Kane is willing to become darkness itself to protect her.
Arwen knows failure to fulfill the prophecy will seal both her own fate as well as the fates of those she loves most. But as Arwen faces creatures, foes, and magic beyond her wildest imaginings, her resolve is tested in ways she never could have foreseen.
Release Date: Apr 9, 2024
Series: Sacred Stones
Book: 2
Heat Level: Sensual/Hot
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Berkley
Price: $10.99
“’You must know he’s madly in love with you, right?’ I had hoped as much, once. Wanted it to be true more than I wanted my heart to beat. But the energy between us, the jealousy and possessiveness, the constant poling, taunting, the push and pull- it wasn’t what I imagined love to look like. And truthfully, he had needed me to serve a purpose. That was what drew him to me. My life- my death, rather- was what he had always been after. Somewhere along the way he had become attracted to me, and then- “
Arwen Avondale is still reeling from the shocking news that she is the full-blooded Fae from the prophecy. Kane Ravenwood may have broken Arwen’s trust and faith in him by keeping the truth from her, but that doesn’t change the fact that he loves her. They know they need the Blade of the Sun from the prophecy to defeat Lazarus and his army and free the Fae from his wicked rule. Only Arwen’s death can accomplish this, but Kane searches for another way to save the love of his life from her prophetic end.
What a wild ride this book was! I ended up reading book one before I read this, and I promise that you need to read it to understand anything that is happening. I’m enjoying this series by Kate Golden. I appreciate all the world-building she has done to create this kingdom and the merry band of misfits she has thrown together to fight Lazarus and win this war. Griffin is stoic and quiet, loving Mari the witch from afar. Kane is cruel and possessive on the surface, but at his core, he is not a bad man. He has lost so much in this war with his father, and he is terrified that he will lose Arwen too. He keeps secrets to protect her, but Arwen is the least understanding heroine I’ve ever read. I’ve never thought Kane’s secrets were a way to hurt her but to shield someone that he loves very much from pain and suffering. She knows what is at stake in this war, but sometimes it feels like she wants to hurt Kane just out of spite, even knowing how much he has already suffered. Her reaction and treatment of him kept this from being a solid five-star read for me.
That end, though! How can she do this to us? I’m literally chomping at the bit to get book three already because I can’t believe it ended like that. Book three had better make up for all the pain that ending made me feel, and we better see Mari and Griffin and Arwen and Kane get a happily ever after, or I’ll probably sue to emotional distress. Fictional characters or not, my heart can’t take it.
If you’re a fan of fantasy books like Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros or Throne of the Fallen by Kerri Maniscalco then I think this will be right up your alley.
~ Michelle
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