There are also loads of SMUTs, thanks. Definitely more than the first book and I love how possessive and intense it can be. what else? yes there's a lot of sex. there's nothing inheritably wrong with that, but it made me doubt if we hadn't changed genres to erotica because of how much there was, which i don't think helped for the actual plot. again, this one might be that i'm not the target audience (if it's smut i want to read, ao3 is always a perfectly fine stop as far as i'm concerned, and free. i'm not the target for erotica books) I have really enjoyed the development of their relationship. They really learned to listen to each other and became a great team. The trust between them warmed my heart and I will always love how Caelum honors Estrella’s strength and encourages her to possess her power. To my fellow spice lovers, if you enjoyed the spice in Book 1, you’re going to love what you get here. There’s more of it and it’s even hotter now that the truth is out because it adds so much excitement and passion to their intimacy.

Personally, I didn't see a problem with the hero. Sure he's low-key villain adjacent but he treats the heroine like a damned princess, keeps her satisfied in all ways, and has stated quite a few times that he would burn the world down if she's not in it. Refusing all that? Couldn't be me but the heroine is surely doing her damnedest to try. Throughout. This. Entire. Book. And then their problems lie with Queen Mab and the fact that Estrella could very well be her daughter. From the moment I’d been created, from the very instant I’d come into this world and drawn my first breath, she’d been in the Void between life and death. Waiting to be born. Waiting to be mine.” The story delves deeper into the world and the Fae in particular, and also begins to weave some of the storylines from the first book (like what Bran knew) into a more complex story. Most of the story takes place as they travel to complete Caelum’s quest, so the story progresses at a slower pace, which I enjoyed as I felt fully immersed in the story. The twists and turns in this series have me theorizing about where things will go in the next book and I can’t wait to see if I’m right or wrong.Author’s Note: This book is intended for readers who are 18 and older. It contains mature language, graphic violence, and explicit content with darker elements. This is book two in a series and ends in a cliffhanger. There is so much shoved into this novel I couldn’t keep up and I didn’t want to. Instead of just focusing on 2-3 plot points, we got 5-6 and things jumped around so much that I didn't know what was going on. Caldris: “Everything you have felt is real. Everything you will continue to feel for me is real. You were made to be mine.” Getting information in this book was also very choppy. There seemed to be more emphasis on the romance aspect of this book then literally anything else, but when you have a book with a world and political system this complex, you should definitely be putting more energy into the detail of everything instead of your characters having sex just for the sake of having smut in your book. The pacing of the book feels so off to me and so slow. It really felt dragging and once or twice I thought about DNF´ing but decided to power my way through it.

In some ways I really enjoyed this sequel more than its predecessor–in some, I miss the first book and its simplicity of Estrella and Caelum finding love. Beyond that bullshit there were references to some modern things that jarred me and lifted me right out of the setting. Caldris mentions the concept of baby trapping as if that’s a concept that exists in a supposedly medieval world. He says that something must have been “a bitter plant to swallow” cause you know no pills in this world. Admittedly that made me laugh. You know me as well as you know yourself, my star. The heart that beats inside your chest is mine. The soul that resides within your body has been mine for longer than you have existed,” I said, keeping my voice soft and gentle as I took another half-step toward her. “Everything you have felt is real. Everything you will continue to feel for me is real. You were made to be mine.” The Wild Hunt waits for none… not even the secrets waiting at the gates of Alfheimr. Estrella’s story continues. Author’s Note: This book is intended for readers who are 18 and older. It contains mature language, graphic violence, and explicit content with darker elements. This is book two in a series and ends in a cliffhanger. What Hunts Inside the Shadows by Harper L. Woods – eBook DetailsGet the best Books, Magazines & Comics in every genre including Action, Adventure, Anime, Manga, Children & Family, Classics, Comedies, Reference, Manuals, Drama, Foreign, Horror, Music, Romance, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Sports and many more. entertaining if you enjoy mindless romance. lol. because thats all this is. and i guess a little character development. and a tad bit of world building. but there is zero plot progression, which forces me to label this as filler. You were determined as mine before your soul was ever born. This bond is not a prison. It is a haven from the ugliness of this world, a person predetermined to love you. To belong to you.” Caldris: “See how brightly you burn when you lean into all that hatred in your heart? Think of what you could do if you didn’t waste it on the one person in this world who loves you more than anything.” For weeks, he stood by my side, twisting his words into pretty half-truths. He enraptured me with his smooth temptation, leaving no corner of my being untouched. He consumed my mind and my body, then finally claimed my heart for himself. But Caelum’s true identity is terrifying enough to bring me to my knees.

For weeks, he stood by my side, twisting his words into pretty half-truths. He enraptured me with his smooth temptation, leaving no corner of my being untouched. He consumed my mind and my body, then finally claimed my heart for himself. But Caelum's identity is terrifying enough to bring me to my knees. Caldris: “It is time for the stars in the sky to rest for the day, Little One, and that means the star I hold in my arms must rise,” While I really enjoyed What Lies Behind the Veil, the first in this series, I’m sad to say I did not enjoy this follow-on. PDF / EPUB File Name: What_Hunts_Inside_the_Shadows_Of_Flesh_namp_Bone_2_-_Harper_L_Woods.pdf, What_Hunts_Inside_the_Shadows_Of_Flesh_namp_Bone_2_-_Harper_L_Woods.epub Estrella did push away a lot because of the events at the end of book 1 and I understand her hesitation to allowing herself to trust Caelum again and giving herself completely to him but you know deep down his love for her is true and real. To find out he has been celibate in every single way for the last 300 years was amazing. The moment he found out about her existence he no longer persued others and truly waited for her. I love these types of MMC's.And Estrellas flip flopping? SO ANGRY. She could not decide what she felt to make up her damn mind. And I get that’s a normal human thing to do but it was so drastic the turns she would take. She, almost immediately after learning of his complete betrayal and lies, sort of gets over it. I can’t fault her cause again this bitch is getting gas lit. When she finally accepts the bond, but not really cause we still need conflict between these 2, it feels so unearned. And of course he’s all “I knew you would eventually be so gas lit you’d think you were wrong and the cause of all this conflict”

Like ok, how are you not melting for this dude? You already fell in love with him when you thought he was human?? How are you holding onto this grudge, when human men are the ones who have abused you your entire life??? 🙃 Feeling your heart flutter for men who would never have been able to give you what your soul craved in the end, and knowing that, I was trapped on the other side of the Veil waiting for you. Just waiting for centuries to be able to hold you." Once, the people of Northrek blamed me when the Veil fell. Soon, they’ll want me to pay the price the magic requires. Character development-wise, Estrella seems like a whole new person from the first book. Of course, a lot of it is to do with the fact that she has this new found power and feels like she has a voice now but honestly, I miss the 'innocence' she held when she was first around Caelum.Facing the Mother and Father's judgement was another thing altogether, and I wasn't sure I was ready." I’m truly unsure how to rate this book. I decided to DNF at first halfway through. Couldn’t let it go so I decided to finish it so I could form my opinion and thoughts in a less emotional state and with the whole narrative. So strap in this is gonna be a long one. I have so many thoughts so bare with me as I attempt to rope then together. I read my ARC while I was on vacation, and I gotta tell you, the amount of times I wanted to throw my kindle in the sea… 😅