“He’s coming.” ― Fall of Ruin and Wrath
| Romantic Subgenre(s) | Contemporary Romance |
| Spice Level | 3.8 Chili Peppers |
| Open or Closed Door? | Open! |
| Notable Tropes | Romantasy, fated mates, forces proximity, age gap |
| Similar Books | A Crown this Cold and Heavy by Stacia Stark Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig To Hunt a Demon King by by Madeleine Eliot |
Summary – Includes spoilers! Open at your own risk.
A lowborn rebellion is brewing, but Calista is only interested in one thing – keeping her and her best friend, Grady, safe and alive. Calista uses her gift of intuition to serve the Baron of Archwood in exchange for a place at his court in relative peace and safety. But fate has other plans.
Led by her intuition, Calista saves the life of the Prince of Vytrus – a hyborn known for his cruelty and indiscriminate murder. As the hyborn make moves against each other and rebels roam the streets, Calista’s intuition tells her that her fate, the fate of the kingdom… and her doom… are all tied to Thorne.
What did the book do well?
It’s a solid fantasy story. There is a good balance between politics and action and layered plot lines that we start to untangle alongside Calista. While the pickiest among us may note that it is heavy on the tropes (young female main character old male character, #fatedmates), there are unique twists that keep the reader curious and engaged.
What are your nitpicks?
Grady. The author didn’t quite know what to do with him in this first book. Is he a love interest? A rebel? TBD. He’s used as leverage, has prudish behavior, and is a liiiittttllleee whiny. But I have a feeling he will be back.
What was the Candy Mountain (highlight) of the book?
The politics of a caste system kept me engaged. More than the lowborn fighting “the man” (the hyborn), the relationships seemed to be intertwined and moving towards the ultimate realization that they need one another to survive.
The world also has unique characteristics that I am interested to see play out later in the series – what is the significance of the fact that the hyborn can never tell a lie?
What was the dungeon (worst part) of the book?
This book is clearly a setup to become a series (What do the changing eye colors mean? How does Calista know how to wield a blade?!), and at times the story line feels drawn out to accommodate that series.
ALSO ALSO IMPORTANT NOTE only the first book in this series has been published (sad day).
Who would you cast as the main characters for a movie?
Calista – Anya Taylor-Joy
Prince Thorne – an aloof/cold Ian Joseph Somerhalder
What character do you want to know more about?
Lord Bastian. Is that guy married? Asking for a friend.
Final Recommendation:
Highly recommend.
Fall of Wrath and Ruin is a solid fantasy romance complete with a dark prince, a witty (and unknowingly badass) female character, and a unique fantasy world it hits the proverbial spot…scratches the itch…gets the job done…*wink*.
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