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Cursed Empire #3
Empire of Monsters
In an empire torn apart by war, the greatest enemies are within.
Revenge…
In the wake of a ruthless betrayal, Jalie is forced to depend on Nesrelle, Queen of Death. But her army is falling to Nesrelle’s monstrous control. With her empire in upheaval, Jalie clings to the one thing she has left: revenge.
Rebellion…
After a vicious battle, the Forwyn are left reeling from incalculable loss. To defend her people, Lo fights to outmaneuver Emperor Revaed in a deadly game of wills. But the hardest part is being opposed to the man she loves.
Justice…
Kovi clings to hope for a Forwyn-Alrenian alliance, but mysterious prophecies warn him that his relationship with Jalie may be ill-fated. And when his foes are monsters, is mercy even an option?
Deceit…
His entire life has been a lie. Heartbreaking revelations force Caesiem to choose between the only family he’s ever had, and the woman who has stolen his heart. But his divided loyalties may tear him apart.
As all else burns away, four leaders will face their greatest fears—and discover where their true allegiances lie.
Revenge…
In the wake of a ruthless betrayal, Jalie is forced to depend on Nesrelle, Queen of Death. But her army is falling to Nesrelle’s monstrous control. With her empire in upheaval, Jalie clings to the one thing she has left: revenge.
Rebellion…
After a vicious battle, the Forwyn are left reeling from incalculable loss. To defend her people, Lo fights to outmaneuver Emperor Revaed in a deadly game of wills. But the hardest part is being opposed to the man she loves.
Justice…
Kovi clings to hope for a Forwyn-Alrenian alliance, but mysterious prophecies warn him that his relationship with Jalie may be ill-fated. And when his foes are monsters, is mercy even an option?
Deceit…
His entire life has been a lie. Heartbreaking revelations force Caesiem to choose between the only family he’s ever had, and the woman who has stolen his heart. But his divided loyalties may tear him apart.
As all else burns away, four leaders will face their greatest fears—and discover where their true allegiances lie.
468 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2022
18 people are currently reading
1047 people want to read
About the author
Rachel L. Schade
15 books494 followersRachel L. Schade was born on the first day of summer in a small town in Michigan, only to end up in another small town in Ohio. She attended The Ohio State University to learn how to write obnoxiously long papers, cite people who use big words, and discuss her passion: books. She has a great love for the color blue, sunshine, chocolate, and not folding her laundry. Currently she lives with her husband and surrounds herself with coffee and books on a regular basis.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
December 6, 2022
Another wild ride coming right at you… :)
March 21, 2024
Another great book in this series! 🐉🧡
July 1, 2022
WARNING: MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS FOR PREVIOUS BOOKS!!
I started reading this series last year when I accidentally signed up for three book tours for Empire of Dragons. I loved it so much. So, now here we are, Book 3, and I’m even more in love with these books than ever.
Empire of Traitors ended with a betrayal I never saw coming. I suspected something wasn’t quite what it was being portrayed as, but I truly never saw it coming. And now we begin this book with everyone trying to pick up the pieces from broken alliances, broken promises, and a broken empire. It’s pretty evident that nothing will ever be what it was.
I fell for all the characters. There have been some very difficult decisions made. Decisions that can’t be undone. When you make deals with devils, things rarely turn out like you expected they would. Prices will need to be paid, even if intentions were noble.
My favorite character is still Kovi. He has vision. He can see beyond what they’ve been conditioned to believe all their lives: your own race is superior to all others and should be in power to rule over those inferior races. He can see a time of peace where the races live together and work together for the good of all. I really want him to get his happily-ever-after. But, I am really scared!
Jalie and Lo are still fighting for their own people and doing whatever they see as necessary to achieve that goal. Jalie and Nesrelle want to burn it all down. Lo decides another way forward will give her two things she wants: love and the safety for her people. Both put their trust in very questionable people. I’m afraid they will pay for it in ways they wouldn’t have dreamed.
I just feel so bad for Caeseum. He wants to stay loyal to and please Ravaed, his guardian. He believes what Ravaed tells him about his intentions. Caeseum feels like he owes Ravaed because of everything he has done for him. Caeseum learns some very hard truths in this book. It is heartbreaking to watch. I want nothing but good things for this character. He definitely deserves it.
There are a few villains in this story. Nesrelle is just plain evil. She lives off the fears of mortals. As the Queen of Death, she gains power from the death of others. She has no qualms about who she uses to get what she wants either, evil never does. Then there’s my least favorite character–Ravaed. He is so blinded by trying to not become his father that he’s done exactly that. He justifies his actions by saying he’s only protecting Caeseum. That may be why he started but now power seems to be his priority, no matter what he calls it.
All these crimes against humanity have been committed. Someone will have to pay that debt. I’m so nervous to see how that plays out in the next book. I don’t have a good feeling about this. HaHa
This book is fast-paced. The action starts on page one and doesn’t let up till the last page. The story runs through so many emotions. I lost count of how many times I cried. It was a very heavy read for me. The battle scenes are intense and brutal at times. The characters are changing and growing on this epic journey, except our villains, of course.
Oh, and I didn’t forget about the dragons. I honestly can’t say anything about that part of the story without spoiling things. So, I’ll leave it there.
Empire of Monsters is easily in my top 5 reads so far this year. And the series is in my top 10 favorites, overall. I highly recommend it to fans of fantasy, epic fantasy, fantasy romance, enemies-to-lovers, forbidden romance, political intrigue, and battles between good and evil. I am so excited to read book 4, Empire of Ruins, but at the same time, I’m nervous to see how this series ends.
I started reading this series last year when I accidentally signed up for three book tours for Empire of Dragons. I loved it so much. So, now here we are, Book 3, and I’m even more in love with these books than ever.
Empire of Traitors ended with a betrayal I never saw coming. I suspected something wasn’t quite what it was being portrayed as, but I truly never saw it coming. And now we begin this book with everyone trying to pick up the pieces from broken alliances, broken promises, and a broken empire. It’s pretty evident that nothing will ever be what it was.
I fell for all the characters. There have been some very difficult decisions made. Decisions that can’t be undone. When you make deals with devils, things rarely turn out like you expected they would. Prices will need to be paid, even if intentions were noble.
My favorite character is still Kovi. He has vision. He can see beyond what they’ve been conditioned to believe all their lives: your own race is superior to all others and should be in power to rule over those inferior races. He can see a time of peace where the races live together and work together for the good of all. I really want him to get his happily-ever-after. But, I am really scared!
Jalie and Lo are still fighting for their own people and doing whatever they see as necessary to achieve that goal. Jalie and Nesrelle want to burn it all down. Lo decides another way forward will give her two things she wants: love and the safety for her people. Both put their trust in very questionable people. I’m afraid they will pay for it in ways they wouldn’t have dreamed.
I just feel so bad for Caeseum. He wants to stay loyal to and please Ravaed, his guardian. He believes what Ravaed tells him about his intentions. Caeseum feels like he owes Ravaed because of everything he has done for him. Caeseum learns some very hard truths in this book. It is heartbreaking to watch. I want nothing but good things for this character. He definitely deserves it.
There are a few villains in this story. Nesrelle is just plain evil. She lives off the fears of mortals. As the Queen of Death, she gains power from the death of others. She has no qualms about who she uses to get what she wants either, evil never does. Then there’s my least favorite character–Ravaed. He is so blinded by trying to not become his father that he’s done exactly that. He justifies his actions by saying he’s only protecting Caeseum. That may be why he started but now power seems to be his priority, no matter what he calls it.
All these crimes against humanity have been committed. Someone will have to pay that debt. I’m so nervous to see how that plays out in the next book. I don’t have a good feeling about this. HaHa
This book is fast-paced. The action starts on page one and doesn’t let up till the last page. The story runs through so many emotions. I lost count of how many times I cried. It was a very heavy read for me. The battle scenes are intense and brutal at times. The characters are changing and growing on this epic journey, except our villains, of course.
Oh, and I didn’t forget about the dragons. I honestly can’t say anything about that part of the story without spoiling things. So, I’ll leave it there.
Empire of Monsters is easily in my top 5 reads so far this year. And the series is in my top 10 favorites, overall. I highly recommend it to fans of fantasy, epic fantasy, fantasy romance, enemies-to-lovers, forbidden romance, political intrigue, and battles between good and evil. I am so excited to read book 4, Empire of Ruins, but at the same time, I’m nervous to see how this series ends.
May 16, 2022
Nesrelle.
“The worst part of battle was that it always had to end.” Empire of Monsters reached a whole new level and the war between the Teramese and the Forwyn and the Alrenians becomes terribly real. I’m still amazed at how Rachel makes me side with every single character. Even the villains. Okay, maybe not Nesrelle, but she’s such an interesting character, I can’t help but like her because I hate her so much.
Lo
“The darkness of your past can no longer hold power over you, because you are stronger now than you were in that moment. What once overcame you is exactly what you are capable of overcoming now.” I absolutely love her connection to Elhani. This book is not a religious book by any means but her relationship with her god was so beautiful and had similar aspects as my relationship with mine so very easy to connect with her.
Revaed
“We may be monsters, but we’re not uncivilized ones.” Such an interesting and deep character. I absolutely love and hate him. He’s rich and deep and full of turmoil and twisted morals.
Overall, this book and series is a must-read! I absolutely can’t wait for the next book!
“The worst part of battle was that it always had to end.” Empire of Monsters reached a whole new level and the war between the Teramese and the Forwyn and the Alrenians becomes terribly real. I’m still amazed at how Rachel makes me side with every single character. Even the villains. Okay, maybe not Nesrelle, but she’s such an interesting character, I can’t help but like her because I hate her so much.
Lo
“The darkness of your past can no longer hold power over you, because you are stronger now than you were in that moment. What once overcame you is exactly what you are capable of overcoming now.” I absolutely love her connection to Elhani. This book is not a religious book by any means but her relationship with her god was so beautiful and had similar aspects as my relationship with mine so very easy to connect with her.
Revaed
“We may be monsters, but we’re not uncivilized ones.” Such an interesting and deep character. I absolutely love and hate him. He’s rich and deep and full of turmoil and twisted morals.
Overall, this book and series is a must-read! I absolutely can’t wait for the next book!
May 23, 2022
Non-Stop action!! Book 3 of this series has things happening from the very first page to the last, with nary a break to be found. I loved getting to see so much plot after the first two books established the characters so well and built this world the reader has become invested in.
All four of the main characters are on the move throughout the book, interacting with other side characters, friends, and enemies.
This book adds an additional POV with some chapters from Revaed. I really enjoyed getting flashbacks of Caesiem and Revaed's life in Teramese, including how they met and became connected.
The final 100 pages of the book just fly by, with so many twists and turns and some heartbreaking events. The action sequences and battles and swordfighting are very well written and easy to follow along with.
My only disappointment is that our main couples are rarely together in the same place, so we don't get much romance! And perhaps that we have to wait a while for the final book to release before we resolve all the conflicts and find out what will happen to the main four - and whether big baddie Nesrelle will ever be defeated!
All four of the main characters are on the move throughout the book, interacting with other side characters, friends, and enemies.
This book adds an additional POV with some chapters from Revaed. I really enjoyed getting flashbacks of Caesiem and Revaed's life in Teramese, including how they met and became connected.
The final 100 pages of the book just fly by, with so many twists and turns and some heartbreaking events. The action sequences and battles and swordfighting are very well written and easy to follow along with.
My only disappointment is that our main couples are rarely together in the same place, so we don't get much romance! And perhaps that we have to wait a while for the final book to release before we resolve all the conflicts and find out what will happen to the main four - and whether big baddie Nesrelle will ever be defeated!
September 8, 2022
Chapter Three???
The expanding POVs again give us such a great story!! I love how every character is facing desperate situations by Book 3. They all seem to have lost more than they could ever gain. Especially Jalie…
Caesiem’s then and now POV is beautiful. I love how it gives us insight into Revaed’s actions, and I really like how Revaed’s character is shaped!! His reasonings are entirely understandable, and to be honest at this point in the series even our heroes can easily be seen as villains. I think that’s one of the strongest elements in this series.
Kovi and Jalie always have my heart, and the prison scene made me smile so much my cheeks hurt. I can’t wait to see what Book 4 has in store.
The expanding POVs again give us such a great story!! I love how every character is facing desperate situations by Book 3. They all seem to have lost more than they could ever gain. Especially Jalie…
Caesiem’s then and now POV is beautiful. I love how it gives us insight into Revaed’s actions, and I really like how Revaed’s character is shaped!! His reasonings are entirely understandable, and to be honest at this point in the series even our heroes can easily be seen as villains. I think that’s one of the strongest elements in this series.
Kovi and Jalie always have my heart, and the prison scene made me smile so much my cheeks hurt. I can’t wait to see what Book 4 has in store.
May 28, 2022
Each book in this series is better than the last. It doesn't hurt that we're getting more and more attached to these incredible characters; each victory is sweeter and each defeat more painful as the stakes rise. The relationships between all of them have become more and more interesting and exciting, and I can't wait to see them intertwine even more in book 4!
Lo remains my favorite, hands down. But that said, I continue to enjoy all of the other POVs even more with each book! Kovi and Caesiem are so complex and well-rounded. Jalie is heartbreaking and really shows Rachel Schade's range as an author. The continued additions of Revaed and Nesrelle's POVs were incredible as well.
This is a book about power and choice and blame and forgiveness and Schade manages to suck you so deeply into her incredible story that you don't realize just how impactful and gut wrenching it is until you're in the middle of it all wondering whether you too would strike a deal with the Goddess of Death to save your people and reclaim your throne. (I hope I'd find another way, but who knows??)
Writing something with themes this BIG is tough and brave and I could go on for days about how deeply I love this story and admire Schade as an author. If you're a fan of multiple POVs, morally grey characters, enemies to lovers, and twisty political intrigue, this is a must read.
Lo remains my favorite, hands down. But that said, I continue to enjoy all of the other POVs even more with each book! Kovi and Caesiem are so complex and well-rounded. Jalie is heartbreaking and really shows Rachel Schade's range as an author. The continued additions of Revaed and Nesrelle's POVs were incredible as well.
This is a book about power and choice and blame and forgiveness and Schade manages to suck you so deeply into her incredible story that you don't realize just how impactful and gut wrenching it is until you're in the middle of it all wondering whether you too would strike a deal with the Goddess of Death to save your people and reclaim your throne. (I hope I'd find another way, but who knows??)
Writing something with themes this BIG is tough and brave and I could go on for days about how deeply I love this story and admire Schade as an author. If you're a fan of multiple POVs, morally grey characters, enemies to lovers, and twisty political intrigue, this is a must read.
February 24, 2022
This book had me on the edge of my seat from beginning to end! It was action packed and also pulled so many other emotions out of me. The characters are so phenomenally written; Their plight, their pain, their fears were written so well, I couldn't help but feel it myself. I cannot say enough good things about this book and the Cursed Empire series! Do yourselves a favor and pick this series up, I don't see how you'd be disappointed in it.
June 25, 2022
All. The. Emotions. Rachel has a special power to be able to write multiple POVs and make it impossible to pick a side. I feel for all the characters. Being able to read not only from Jalie and Lo's perspectives, we get to see more into Caesiem, Kovi, Ravaed and even Nesrelle. EoM was nonstop since chapter one. So much action and intense scenes. Absolutely loved this one, even with that cliffhanger.
June 19, 2022
Another fantastic book in this series!! Keeps you on your toes the entire time and I’m dying to read the finale and see how it all goes down in the end 😍
I love all of these characters, they struggle with so many things and don’t always make the best decisions… but they are compelling and intriguing and you can’t help but root for them!! I’ll be sad to part from them all 😢
I love all of these characters, they struggle with so many things and don’t always make the best decisions… but they are compelling and intriguing and you can’t help but root for them!! I’ll be sad to part from them all 😢
May 21, 2022
This magical story had me so invested the way she can write about characters, I feel like I personally know them now. Forbidden love, non stop action, enemies to lovers, Dragons this book has it all. I really did love this series so far and I especially love the two pov of two strong Fmc. That cliffhanger though I can't wait to read the next story 😍
February 8, 2022
So, you know when you open a bag of crisps with the clear intention of just eating a handful and close the bag; but then the crisps are so delicious and addictive you end up eating the whole bag?
That’s how this book feels like. Each chapter calls for another one.
I still have my issues with one main character, but the author’s talent makes me enjoy the whole story nevertheless. I’m a big follower of Rachel’s… despite her worrying talent to know how evil thinks (in this book more than ever!)
Read it. You’ll realize selfpublished authors are just great, sometimes ever more than some traditionally published authors.
That’s how this book feels like. Each chapter calls for another one.
I still have my issues with one main character, but the author’s talent makes me enjoy the whole story nevertheless. I’m a big follower of Rachel’s… despite her worrying talent to know how evil thinks (in this book more than ever!)
Read it. You’ll realize selfpublished authors are just great, sometimes ever more than some traditionally published authors.
October 18, 2021
All of the emotions. All of them.
This book is almost all action. Ups and downs, twists and turns. I had to set the book down twice because it got so intense and sad, I needed to process. But, wow.
Love. Loss. And Caesiem is still getting cheeky smiles out of me through it all.
This book is almost all action. Ups and downs, twists and turns. I had to set the book down twice because it got so intense and sad, I needed to process. But, wow.
Love. Loss. And Caesiem is still getting cheeky smiles out of me through it all.
November 3, 2022
This was a solid third-book-of-the-series read! I love the build up to the last book, heck, I love the build up until that epic end! Schade excels at building up until the big ending. She crafts the characters and story in such a way that you feel the angst, passion, and the bubble about to pop any minute into chaos. And chaos there was! The book opens where everyone is basically going to die, okay? And Nesrelle. Ugh. I hate her!!!! She is AWFUL! There are very few big bads I actually HATE and she is one of them.
Jalie. Oh Jalie. I struggle with this girl. She is definitely BA in her own right but man she has poor decision making skills and really can't think that well.
Kovi. Love him. Cinnamon roll right there. Big 'ol teddy bear.
Lo. She's my favorite. She is also BA and she knows the true desires of her heart and what she should do.
Caes. He's the more traditional book boyfriend I feel like. A bit of an anti-hero but trying to be the hero, tortured soul. I love him. He's definitely the "touch her and you die" type.
Jalie. Oh Jalie. I struggle with this girl. She is definitely BA in her own right but man she has poor decision making skills and really can't think that well.
Kovi. Love him. Cinnamon roll right there. Big 'ol teddy bear.
Lo. She's my favorite. She is also BA and she knows the true desires of her heart and what she should do.
Caes. He's the more traditional book boyfriend I feel like. A bit of an anti-hero but trying to be the hero, tortured soul. I love him. He's definitely the "touch her and you die" type.
May 21, 2023
This was a well-paced installment in this series, although I didn't enjoy the parts that were focused on Nesrelle. She is an obnoxious character, and I was quickly bored of her "licking her lips" to relish mortal suffering. Also, it made it a bit dull that the arc of the two main couples seemed to mirror each other nearly identically. If one couple held hands or had a tender conversation, you could practically bet that the next chapter would do the same for the other couple. Anyway, I think overall thise were small points. The book was fun, and there was ample action.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 12, 2022
𝑰 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒈𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒎𝒐𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒃𝒍𝒆𝒆𝒅.
If we thought the second book was wild just you wait!! The third book in this epic series continues and the emotional pulls are gut-wrenching.
Schade added in two more POVs. I'll be honest, I was slightly worried with a total of 6 storylines. But let me tell you - she tells it masterfully. She falls into these characters' minds with such grace, each with its own voice.
More magic. More gore.
More emotions. More monsters.
If we thought the second book was wild just you wait!! The third book in this epic series continues and the emotional pulls are gut-wrenching.
Schade added in two more POVs. I'll be honest, I was slightly worried with a total of 6 storylines. But let me tell you - she tells it masterfully. She falls into these characters' minds with such grace, each with its own voice.
More magic. More gore.
More emotions. More monsters.
January 19, 2024
Again this series has so many twists! That being said, Schade really worked on character development for all the characters and you get even more glimpses into what makes the character evil, good, fighting etc. You also get to know more about the past histories of characters which was very exciting. The book leaves you at a cliffhanger that makes you continue binging the series! Enemies to lovers or are they still enemies after brutal betrayals? (No spice!)
May 17, 2022
I am grateful to have received an ARC copy of this book from the author in return for an honest review.
I just love this series. I love the morally grey characters that face hard choices in a setting easy to relate to. Usually, with books that use more than two POVs, I find one or more of them tedious to read. Not with this series. I never roll my eyes or skim through pages with a character I don't really care about. I care about them all! I wasn't so sure about the addition of new POVs, but they filled in the gaps nicely. My heart hurts for all of them, and while I hope for a HEA, this might be a story more satisfying if it rips my heart out. Can't wait to find out in the next book!
I just love this series. I love the morally grey characters that face hard choices in a setting easy to relate to. Usually, with books that use more than two POVs, I find one or more of them tedious to read. Not with this series. I never roll my eyes or skim through pages with a character I don't really care about. I care about them all! I wasn't so sure about the addition of new POVs, but they filled in the gaps nicely. My heart hurts for all of them, and while I hope for a HEA, this might be a story more satisfying if it rips my heart out. Can't wait to find out in the next book!
January 9, 2023
This book was so fast paced and full of action! I loved it so much, especially the prison scene between Jalie and Kovi. I hope they are able to get a happy ending🥺I can’t stand how much pain Jalie is going through. She is being manipulated so badly by Nesrelle and I want her to come to her senses in the final book.
January 1, 2024
reshmita the caterpillar
March 17, 2024
Dark
I have enjoyed this series up until this book. The "bad guys" aren't just bad, they are evil and the story is full of darkness. I feel dark when I read it so I am done.
I have enjoyed this series up until this book. The "bad guys" aren't just bad, they are evil and the story is full of darkness. I feel dark when I read it so I am done.
August 16, 2024
I'm not convinced that I breathed throughout this entire book. Get ready for an emotional rollercoaster that you won't be able to put down 🐉
December 27, 2024
Adding the villain POVs was a nice touch !
September 6, 2023
Summary: We are in the middle of a big battle where a certain character is killing all the innocent bystanders he can find. Seriously. I’m surprised that we have any side-characters left after this. :P
Anyway, it sets us up for some more fighting and drama.
And we have even MORE POVs with some death goddess and another aromantic prince-dude sharing some more of the spotlight.
Pros: The characters are still dark and very interesting to watch. I don’t have a lot of new things to say, but it was good. :)
Cons: Lots of death. SO MUCH death. And not even the dragons are safe! I mean, it’s a darker fantasy and it’s not especially graphic, so I suppose I shouldn’t REALLY be complaining, but it was enough for me to decide I needed a break before reading the last book (find some happy fairytale or something to keep my blood pressure down). :P
Conclusion: ALL of the sadness, but I will get back to the last one soonish!
Anyway, it sets us up for some more fighting and drama.
And we have even MORE POVs with some death goddess and another aromantic prince-dude sharing some more of the spotlight.
Pros: The characters are still dark and very interesting to watch. I don’t have a lot of new things to say, but it was good. :)
Cons: Lots of death. SO MUCH death. And not even the dragons are safe! I mean, it’s a darker fantasy and it’s not especially graphic, so I suppose I shouldn’t REALLY be complaining, but it was enough for me to decide I needed a break before reading the last book (find some happy fairytale or something to keep my blood pressure down). :P
Conclusion: ALL of the sadness, but I will get back to the last one soonish!
November 8, 2022
Everything is coming together and the path between what is right and easy is coming to close.
Lines will be drawn, alliances changed and a need to save those they care for could be their victory or downfall.
This series is getting better and better. Honestly easier to follow and you want all the main characters to get what they want becuase this author made it so you were connected to the four in such a way your heart ached!!
I bought the fourth one and it came out today so I’m going to start that to see where this leads us. :)
Lines will be drawn, alliances changed and a need to save those they care for could be their victory or downfall.
This series is getting better and better. Honestly easier to follow and you want all the main characters to get what they want becuase this author made it so you were connected to the four in such a way your heart ached!!
I bought the fourth one and it came out today so I’m going to start that to see where this leads us. :)
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews