The Ashes & the Star-Cursed King Book 2 of the Nightborn Duet

The Ashes and the Star-Cursed King - 3.75-Star Romantasy

Whispers & Pages am 04.11.2025
Bewertungsnummer: 2645659
Bewertet: Buch (Gebundene Ausgabe)

After the end of the Kejari and all the revelations that came with it, Oraya now finds herself struggling more than ever before. She is devastated - not only is Vincent dead, but he’s also learned that he kept many things from her. On top of that, Raihn has betrayed her trust and now keeps her prisoner in what was supposed to be her kingdom. Raihn refuses to kill Oraya and instead offers her a secret alliance. Taking that deal is the only chance she has to reclaim her throne, but she can barely stand being near him. He broke her trust. How is she ever supposed to move past that? At the same time, Raihn’s position with his nobles is incredibly fragile. They don’t want to accept a ruler who wasn’t born a vampire and who was once a slave. The things that were done to him are still vivid in the minds of those he now has to rule. Enemies are everywhere — for both of them. I love stories told from multiple POVs, so I was thrilled to have Raihn’s perspective added to this book. I enjoyed learning more about his past and the experiences that shaped him into the man he is today. Still, his POV didn’t hit me quite as hard as I expected. I did love seeing the contrast between him as the strict ruler and the way he still treats Oraya — loving, caring, and considerate, just like before. Oraya’s journey in this book was very well written. Her struggles felt authentic and deeply relatable. She’s forced to face so many difficult truths in order to rediscover herself and figure out where she stands — in both the chaos of the present and the pain of the past. There are two men who have defined her world: the father she idolized (as so many daughters do) and the man she thought she loved. Realizing that neither of them was ever fully honest with her — and that one of them is now gone — would break anyone. Both of those men manipulated her for their own ends, and watching her process was incredibly compelling. I already complained at the end of book one that I wanted more of Vincent actively contributing to the storyline. Book two only made that feeling stronger. I loved uncovering new layers of his character, but it still wasn’t enough — if anything, it just intensified my craving for more. The character of Septimus had me on edge every time he appeared. Such an intriguing presence! Every instinct screamed danger whenever he entered a scene. He gave off amazing villain vibes, but I also felt there was even more potential there. Simon, on the other hand, fell completely flat for me — one-dimensional, boring, and more of a pawn than a true villain. Overall, I don’t think this book was as strong as the first one. The tone and vibe were very different. There were moments that I really enjoyed, and it’s still a solid read, but it just didn’t hit quite right for me. Maybe my expectations were too high — The Serpent and the Wings of Night was phenomenal, and Six Scorched Roses was god-tier in my opinion. ...and can we talk about how many times Raihn said “There she is”? That was absurdly annoying. In the end, this one is a good 3.75 stars for me. Story: 3.75 ⭐️ Spice: 2 ️

Überraschung

Everbooklove aus Tamm am 24.04.2025
Bewertungsnummer: 2474059
Bewertet: Buch (Taschenbuch)

"Yes. That would have been worth it. Even I Had to draw a line somewhere. And you're the line, Oraya." - S.202 Band zwei war für mich wesentlich besser wie Band eins und hat mich damit überrascht. Oraya und Rahin haben Ziele offenen und geheime. Ich brauche wohl nicht erzählen, dass alle davon gegenläufig sind und sich doch im Kern gleichen. Was haben die beiden für einen Sprung gemacht. Ihre Entwicklungen und ihre Beweggründe waren grandios und nachvollziehbar. Wut, Trauer , Wahrheit und verzeihen, lieben leben und Mal egoistisch sein. Alles war hier dabei. Ihre Beziehung war Emotionsgeladen und die Intrigen am Hof haben geniale Nebenschauplätze geschaffen die das ganze aufgepeppt haben. Die kämpfe warme grandios und das Kennenlernen neuer Charaktere und das entdecken der Wahrheiten und die Auflösung waren mehr als einfach nur gut. Die Protas konnte ich besser kennenzulernen und noch mehr lieben lernen und verstehen. Alles war greifbar und es war Brand gefährlich. Das Ende war wunderbar und nun muss ich mich verabschieden aber darf mich in Mishes Geschichte verlieren.