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Review

5 stars

Well holy damn, what an epic read! An exciting and fast-paced story of magical trials where contestants battle for godhood, I was completely swept up in this one! With a wonderfully strong heroine, a broody, mysterious hero, fabulous side characters, magic, secret plots, action, intrigue and a soul-deep romance, it’s a wonderful adventure that had my heart pounding, and I loved it!

This is the first book in the Aesymarean Duet, but it is technically the third book in the Sundered Realms universe after Riftborne (3.5 stars, and a great intro) and Duskbound (5 stars all the way). I would absolutely recommend reading these books in order.

Thais and her twin brother, Thatcher, are plucked from their quiet life in the mortal realm to compete in the Trials of Ascension, a deadly competition where they are forced to compete for godhood and immortality. The twins have kept their divine lineage a secret for their whole lives, but their powers are undeniable, and they quickly become a force to be reckoned with.

The Aesymar thought they’d captured two terrified mortals. They had no idea what they’d actually unleashed.

To help her through her trials, Thais is bonded to a mentor, Xül, the cold and cocky Prince of Death. They clash instantly, which sets up a fabulous enemies-to-lovers vibe as they bicker and snark. But as they continue to train and Thais makes her way through the Trials, they grow closer, and the chemistry sizzles.

“You’re drawn to the darkness, starling.” His gaze swept down, then back up. “Your body always reacts when I get too close.”
“That’s quite an imagination of yours, princeling.” I knew I was blushing, and that made it worse.
“Is it?” He placed his hands down on either side of me, trapping me against the table. “Your pulse says otherwise.”

The romance is a slow burn that unfolds alongside Thais’ journey rather than overshadowing it, and the love story is passionate, heartfelt and full of emotion.

“I’m yours, Xül. Only yours.”
“And I’m yours,” he growled. “Every part of me belongs to you, Thais. My body, my heart, my fucking soul—it’s all yours.”

As the trials progress, there are mysterious happenings, and secret plots are uncovered. It’s a twisted journey full of action and suspense with Thais and Thatcher secretly working towards their goal of vengeance against an old and powerful enemy, but they’re not the only ones plotting.

Thais impressed me so much. She goes through so much in this book, and I felt everything along with her. Xül’s complexity is so well written. I could see so much behind his façade and loved watching him open up to Thais as we learned more about him. And even though the twins spend much of the story apart, we also follow Thatcher’s journey through the Trials. I loved the connection between the twins, and loved seeing him carve out his own story.

There’s so much going on in this book, and I was instantly engrossed. The world building is so well done, complex and all-consuming, and I happily lost myself in the lore, the powers, and all of the intrigue. All of the different elements of the story are woven together brilliantly, culminating in an exciting and unexpected ending which turns everything on its head. The story is very much unfinished, but the cliffhanger is not too bad. And the tie-in to the wider Sundered Realms world is fabulous, making my mouth drop and leaving me squealing with excitement just thinking about future books.

This is such a great read with unforgettable characters that I genuinely cared for, high stakes, epic action and adventure, and an emotional romance. It’s the type of story that I loved to get lost in, and I loved this book.

5 stars.

 

The Aesymarean Duet