'Watch where you are going, you glorified pincushion!'
I'm finding it difficult to begin this review. Not because I hated the book (absolutely not!) but more because I can’t quite pin down how I feel about it yet.
For a change, let's work backwards.The last chapter was so good. I’m already itching for the next book just to see how this new character is going to shake things up (don’t worry—no spoilers). The final battle was less fighting and more of an intense rescue mission. It was heart-wrenching and scary, whilst being fully immersive, as we trudge through the forest in the rain, and the mud, with an incredibly novel way to stop the storm from raging and the rain from pouring down. 😉
Shaedes of Beasts was slow to begin with, as Jenny takes her time reintroducing old faces and bringing in new ones, whilst slowly recapping earlier battles. However, once it gets moving you are once again thrown into the magical lives of the members of the Shaede Court, as they attempt to save their worlds and their friends.
Depressed - that's how I felt when I was reading this. Not because I wasn't enjoying it (I was), but because it basically never stopped raining, inside the book and outside my window. Zero sunshine. But hey, not all battles can be fought under a blazing sun! 🤣
Thank you so much to Jenny Grimes for including me on her ARC team for Shaedes of Beasts.
About the Book
One love will make her. One spell will break her. One choice will save her.
The consequences of everything that happened in Corynthia haunt the High Shaedes as they attempt to savor the peace their sacrifices purchased on behalf of the Seam. While everyone seems to be moving on, Opal remains shattered—broken in ways that no one else can even begin to understand.
Edmyn and Farris are more than willing to distract her battered heart, but soon are faced with more troubles of their own. The Moon King must continue to rebuild what the dragons destroyed, while Farris must deal with the return of an unwanted figure from his past, come to wound him anew.
What will happen when a mysterious and alluring purple Shaede appears at court and offers Opal a taste of something she’s never had before?
And will the Shaedes be able to maintain the frail peace they’ve secured even when faced with suspicious talking beasts from Jovii’s Isle invading their lands and making soul magic demands?
Jenny Grimes writes fantasy romance novels that focus on the blurred lines between worlds, the darkness you’ll find in all of them, and the love that resides there too. She creates her characters and spins her stories from her home in the human realm, where she raises her three little book dragons with her husband, and spends a healthy amount of time reading, travelling, and creating art.
