A Soul to Steal

Duskwalker Brides #6

by Opal Reyne

All Gideon wanted was a friend.

After waking up in the afterlife to discover he died, Gideon has nowhere to go. The world around him feels strange, utterly false, and he struggles to let go of the past he was ripped away from.

Gideon never expects his new, monstrous friend to nibble his way into his heart, or give him purpose in death. His wings are soft, his body strong, and his skull face oddly compelling, but what point is there in desiring more when their future is meaningless?

All Aleron wanted was his kindred.

Having been violently separated from his twin, Aleron is left behind in Tenebris. Unlikely events lead him into an adventure with a pretty human, who entrances him more with every step they take. Gideon is funny yet confusing, and he makes desire sink into Aleron like a frustrating set of claws.

Aleron’s heart is big, it’s ready to love, and it’s fond of the male he has in his keeping. But things do not always go as promised, even when Aleron is given the potential to have everything he wants.

Will Aleron be able to keep those important to him close, or will he come to regret the choices he’s made?

Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Monster Romance, Monsters, M M Romance, Paranormal, LGBT

704 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 21, 2024

About the author

Opal Reyne is an Australian Author who has been a fan of the Adult Paranormal Romance genre from the moment she picked up a book of it - and has never looked back.

She loves everything spicy, smutty,and everything boarder-line monster loving. She started writing because of her love of the written word, and because she wanted to build a diverse world of mythological creatures, while also showing the beauty of all ethnicities of humanity. She thrives to produce a plot driven, character developing book while sprinkling in enchanting imagery.

-Duskwalker Brides a series that features a very real monster who never turns into a handsome prince.

-Witch Bound is a series of Dragon-shifter males falling for their species enemies, Witches!

-She currently has a completed series called 'A Pirate Romance duology'.

As of the 20th of June 2022, The Aedus Chronicles has been unpublished. Thank you to all the readers who enjoyed the series, and Opal may look into revising them in the future.

Reviews

[BearMi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Excuse me while i scream into the book void -
how did i not know THERE WAS A M/M DUSKWALKER BRIDES INSTALMENT???
need that yesterday.

3/5⭐ 4/5🌶️ 😱1/5

I have very conflicting thoughts on this. For an M/M romance this was very average. I didn't feel much of a difference between Gideon and other brides, and i suspect that would be great for some (author's note says that this book was written due to popular demand from her male readers - and this really might work for them great). I didn't like Gideon all that much and didn't connect with him throughout most of the book.

This story is about Duskwalker, Aleron (Ingram's win) and human Gideon (Emerie's adoptive brother). Aleron and Gideon are both dead and reside in Weldir's (Duskwalker's Father) Afterlife realm. There, they find companionship, tenderness, and ultimately love in this vinegar-smelling fake feeling world. Then, as a way is found to return them back to the world of the living, they have to reconnect again, as Gideon's memories of their time in the after world don't function well.

This book is loooooooooong. There is so much inner monologuing, when i needed and wanted a lot more interaction between the MC's. The main romantic conflict wasn't based on miscommunication either, it was more that they each had their own struggle with the relationship but instead of figuring it out together they were keeping it in, it felt like i just spent days in a mind of a stereotypical male, while i don't particularly share this prejudice about men being sticklers for internal turmoil rather than communicating their feelings.

Because Gideon was gay and Aleron didn't see the need for genders or for his bride to be a female, the fact that this was a MM pairing was very bland to me. Yes, they had some difficulties defining the top/bottom situation due to their differing anatomies, but other than that Gideon could have been a female and no one would have noticed. Nor was there any issue with the fact that Aleron is a Duskwalker, or at least not so much for Gideon, he just accepted the fact that he got hard for him and that was that. I thought this dilemma of a human falling in lust and trust and ultimately love with a monster was done much better in the first instalments of the series.

Then there is Aleron's heart. I almost rated this book nearly 5 stars just for the way he is written. My god, i would be absolutely smitten with this Duskwalker. Such an unbelievably gentle soul, with a desire to learn and understand a human being, loyalty and humor, and the mouth on him, straight up 🥵🥵

I also want to comment on POV. The entire series is written in 3rd person POV, and it alternates between the MC's, without identifying whose head we are in. The reader has to guess by the way the thoughts flow, and in previous instalments, the references to 'him' or 'her' helped me a lot. Here, as both of them are 'him's' it was a challenge, and the constant interjections of italic font were a distraction rather than an aide.

For a Duskwalker and Human romance, this was wonderful in that we got to see these two souls find their way to each other twice over. Nothing much happens in the book other than we get to follow along on their journey to reconnect with their respective siblings, and as they do that, we watch primarily Gideon fall in love with Aleron (Aleron was kind of already there from the beginning, the innocent pure lovebug that he is).

Finally, the 🌶️SPICE🌶️. Now, the spice in A Soul to Take took my breath away. Here, i expected similar vibes, and didn't get it much. It was hot but where Reia was blown away but what was happening between her and Orpheus, Gideon enjoyed it, but it felt forced somehow, and he was too keen on getting to Aleron's heart through their cocks. There are only a handful of scenes here, and as per Opal's usual, they are extensive, but i wanted more vocalization from both and less innocence from Aleron. His dirty talk was on point though.

This is as compressed a summary of my thoughts as i can get it, because this book took me a minute to read, and i am a fast reader, so make of that what you will.
Also, this book CANNOT be read as a stand alone, to re-iterate the foreword. You don't need to read all of the books to understand the world and relationships in this one, however, i recommend reading at least books 1 and 5. Otherwise you will be confused as hell.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25

I received this ARC for an honest review.

Sigh...I am so sad I did not like this more. The beginning of this book was great, but then it became tedious, and I was relieved when it was over. Aleron and Gideon intrigued me when we met them at the end of A Soul to Revive. I was so excited to get an MM romance in this series and truly did enjoy the beginning of this book, but I just had a hard time liking Gideon. I also had a hard time finding the chemistry between Aleron and Gideon. That being said, I do love Aleron. He is so sweet and lovable, and I can't wait to see more of him in the rest of the series, which I will definitely be continuing regardless of my feelings for this particular book.

[Poppy || Monster Lover · Rating 5 out of 5]

Can I just keep Aleron?

I was a little unsure about this book because so much of it did take place in Tenebris, but it was so well done. Gideon was complex and dealing with some serious trauma throughout the book. Aleron was too, although he was better at blocking it out. The way they formed their bond was tender and meaningful. I also loved the cameos from other couples. We got to understand a bit more about Weldir as well.
I’m usually not much of one for grovels, but this was perfect. Just the right mix of love and forgiveness with apology.
Aleron had really low humanity and Gideon was really supportive and non-judgmental about it. It brought to mind having a partner with an intellectual disability and how those who are disabled can still have meaningful relationships without being taken advantage of.

Spice: 4.5/5

Triggers: violence, gore, grief, death, free falling, PTSD flashbacks, fire (off page), severe depression and suicidal ideation, homophobia (off page), mention of murder and consumption of humans

[readabookonce · Rating 4 out of 5]

I ain’t ever loved an ex in a romance novel the way I love Beau.

MAIN CHARACTER NAMES AND AGES
Gideon (23) | Aleron (?)

FEATURES
∘ monster romance
∘ sweet, curious monster mmc
∘ playful/teasing mmcs
∘ amnesia

REVIEW
I slugged through this. Not because it was boring, but because I was filled with apprehension since I saw spoilers, which I’m grateful and actively seeked out.

Gideon and Aleron were so sweet as a couple, even through their lowest lows. Gideon was cruel in his turmoil, but he thankfully realized his mistake. Aleron’s kindness, goofiness, and love made Gideon’s treatment that much more heartbreaking. He couldn’t understand why this was happening, and it made me angry on his behalf.

It was frustrating to watch Gideon’s complete personality change, though his trauma and grief from his lost life made the shift make sense. Every single one of the duskwalker brides has a flaw that either hurts their duskwalker or makes the reader (aka ME) side eye them, so willful spoilers aside, this development was not unexpected.

And Beau, Gideon’s ex-boyfriend and almost fiancé, had so much love and care for Gideon to the day. Eight years after the death of a loved one, and he was still changing guitar strings on an instrument he didn’t even play! I’m happy he’s happy, and I genuinely had so much love for the character that was barely even on-page (presently).

So all that’s to say: I understand why Gideon acted the way he did, but it still made me rage. I do think Gideon made amends and returned the love Aleron had for him. In an ideal world, unconditional love would be unchallenging and untroubled, but if that were the case, it wouldn’t have to be unconditional.

On a lighter note, the fact this was set in 2023 rattled me to my core. It was always set on a fictional version of earth, but for some reason, having a specific date shattered my immersion. But like in an unserious and lighthearted way.

OW/OM DRAMA past OM — Gideon grieves his life with his ex
CHEATING none
THIRD ACT BREAKUP not in the third act, but yes (~40%)
ENDING HEA — near future epilogue

POV dual / third person
SPICE LEVEL 5 / 5
RATING 4 / 5

[Julotlinde · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was so hyped for this book. I really enjoyed the previous books in this series and was curious to see how it will continue. We also already met the main characters in this book in the last book, and they both seemed very nice characters. So when this book was released, I immediately read it and I have thoughts.

The book was not a disappointment, but it is definitely not as strong as some of the other books in the series. First, the main characters are great. I really loved Aleron, such a sweetiepie while also still being a big, strong duskwalker we all love. The patience and love he held were so beautiful. I loved how he was written. Gideon was also a well-written character. I liked how he was portrayed as a gay man, I think the author did this extremely well. Although I did not particularly like the storyline in this book, it was well written and very emotional. Some parts were very, very sad. The romance and the smut in this book were, as usual, great.

Now to the parts I did not particularly like. This book was extremely thick, a whole whooping 720 pages. And boy, it was sometimes a struggle to get through it. Reyne is an amazing writer, but this book could have done with 150 pages less and been a lot stronger. I get that it was a big story to tell, but a lot still felt unnecessary or the same. And yes, that was part of the story, but it just kinda dragged after a while. Next to this, the overarching storyline was building up over the last books, which I really enjoyed, and with a book this big, I would expect to see more of this. But no, there was so little progress in the storyline across the books, which was very disappointing as it was building up to get very important. To stay on the overarching storyline and the other characters, we shall almost none of the other duskwalkers and their brides. I enjoyed it a lot to see the characters getting closer and meeting, and although we did see some of them, it still felt kinda flat.

I still really like this series and will still recommend it as it is very enjoyable, but I had hoped this might have been a bit better.

[✨️Rush✨️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

"This book could've been shorter"
I LOVED the previous books but had to dnf this at 19% earlier. It got better after 25% this time and towards the end it dragged again. I kept reading only because I really wanted to continue with the series. Finally finished it. And still my thoughts are 'This book could've been shorter'

[Rychele · Rating 2 out of 5]

At the risk of sounding out of touch, I think I need to state that I felt like this book wanted to explain and or justify gayness to me and I didn’t need that. I’m already here for the gayness and the strangeness, just give me love and hurt and comfort and a crazy fun plot with monster sex. There was an obscene amount of nondialogue, nonplot, info dump sections from both characters pov and I did not understand the need for this. This book is enourmous as well, and I simply think that is a fault of editing.

Tropes:

Amnesia

There is a slow build up to romance that is lovely and gorgeous. Then we get hurt/comfort and angry version of this same buildup when Gideon loses his memories. The amnesia trope is not my favorite, but it does provide a beautiful backdrop for some angst and hurt comfort. And Aleron’s pain is gorgeous to devour in half of these scenes. But, as a result of the story telling in this book, we spend a lot of time in Gideon’s head, and he is miserable for a good chunk, so being in his head is miserable info dumping. We’re already past the half-way mark at this point and things start to get tedious when we the reader has been through so much only to start back at 0.

The amnesia storyline also wanes too long, there are parts where you think some character development will get us out of this funk and into the comfort part then, womp womp, regression.

Found Family

There was an aspect of “found family” that didn’t quite land successfully in this book. I personally love the found family trope, but where this book sees Gideon and Aleron saying frequently that they wish to make a family just them and Ingram and Emerie, there is something about the rest of it that didn’t land. The further we read in the series, the more we see interactions between known Mavka and their brides and the new couple, the previous book seeing a full on battle sequence with the full cast up until Ingram and Emerie, yet the interactions in this book with the greater Mavka family felt both unnecessary and an after thought. Aside from Weldir, I only needed to see a reunion with Emerie and Ingram, and when we finally got there, it felt contrite. The lead up was long and arduous and then it sort of fizzled into a comedy scene. I was not a fan.

Smut

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5 it gets as spicy as it usually gets, though this book doesn’t have nearly as much gratuitous sex as the other books. I think this is probably due to the main trope of the second half of the book, but the smut does its job.

Golden Retriever x Some Guy

I don’t mean to hate on Gideon, but he really is just some guy that was nice enough to accompany Aleron in the afterworld and therefore now love? The chemistry was lacking. The usual tropes in the other books include “she smells the best therefore mate,” “she fell in my lap and I must protect,” “i’ve loved her since she was a child,” “she’s hot and blind watch me trick her into being with me,” and “enemies to lovers,” which may or may not do it for you, but here Gideon is literally just some dude. He’s generally a nice dude, a good dude, but only due to his connection to Emerie and her connection to Ingram does Aleron even pay him any mind.

I Can Teach Him/I Can Fix Him

But then he can’t because in the end Aleron must eat. So this one did not land, at all.

[Faith · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

So, this is book 6 (?) in a series where every book is at least 500 pages. I started this series before I discovered m/m romance, and I enjoyed it at first but I was kinda getting bored and it was my intention to stop reading the series. But then the author wrote this book which is m/m (instead of the usual m/f) and it seemed perfect for me so I decided to keep going and read *one more* I’m not sure I’m happy about this decision.

As much as Opal insists you must read these in order, I think you *could* read this particular one as a standalone. Most of the world building is pretty easy to pick up on, or doesn’t really matter, and most of this takes place in a different world than the other books anyway- since the two MMCs are ghosts living in an afterworld called Tenebris. Also, there’s just not a lot of plot in this one… much less I think than others in the series.

But… is it worth it? Maybe not. I hate to say it but I was very underwhelmed with this one. And the things that bothered me were already evident in other books in this series, so really the fault is with me.

These books are all vibes, the writing is very mediocre, and that seemed to be especially true in A Soul To Steal.

There were some highlights: The smut was great. For her first m/m, I think Opal knocked it out of the park in that respect. And the premise was interesting. I am a sucker for the whole “love interest loses his memories” trope. But… it was just missing something for me.

I liked Gideon and Aleron, but I didn’t LOVE them. And aside from the hot sex scenes, it was just kinda bland?

At least I can now let go of this series with confidence.

[Fey Flowers (enbytweenthepages) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cutie Pies. Aleron and Gideon make such a great couple, I love their story. While I can understand some of the criticism and it was really long winded, I refuse to give the only MM installation in this series less than 5 stars. It didn't feel like a fetishization of gay romance at all - to me - I hope the men this story was written for can enjoy it too, but I think Opal and her Sensitivity Readers have done a pretty good job of it. I'm so happy for all the men who asked Opal about this story. ✌🏻🖤

[Jenn (The Book Refuge) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was excruciatingly long.

I know these books are angsty, but this was uncalled for.

Aleron is my precious baby though.

3.5 stars
4 on the spice scale

[Ari · Rating 4 out of 5]

***** I was given an ARC copy for review *****


Let’s start off with the most important piece of this review. Aleron is my sweet, sweet little baby angel that can do no wrong ever.

Now that that is outta the way, this book was everything. Not only did we get a wonderful, inclusive mm love story WE GOT IT TWICE. We got to watch these two sweet boys fall in love twice, only solidifying how perfect they are for each other.

Gideon gideon gideon, I wanted to strangle his neck in the second half of this book for several chapters bc what do you MEAN you are mean to that SWEET ANGEL OF A DUSKWALKER?! Sugar incarnate? Cotton candy on a stick sweetie pie???? My angel of darkness??? I know he forgot his memory but he and I were about to square up if he didn’t stop and look at how much he beat down my poor Aleron.

I’m so glad Gideon was able to pull his head outta his ass and fall in love with the big dumb dummy boy all over again.

Opal Reyne, you will pay for my therapy for making me worry these two wouldn’t figure it out.

Gideon and Aleron are two sarcastic lovey doves that deserve the best of the best of the best. I am so happy Opal wrote this story.

The reuniting of the entire family?????? TEARS TEARS MORE TEARS.

SLEEPING IN HIS WINGS ALL TOGETHER??? Just throw me out to sea, I will never recover.

I’m curious to see how the next book is gonna play out. I need it now!!!!!!!

[minyard · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5

Za długa o jakieś 200 stron, przez co w pewnym momencie zrobiła się nudna i powtarzalna. Spokojnie można by wyciąć sporą część tekstu, a książka ani trochę by na tym nie ucierpiała. Uwielbiam ten świat, ale ileż można się po nim kręcić bez większego sensu?

Aleron jest totalnym słodziakiem, który zasługuje na opatulenie kocykiem i wielkiego przytulasa. Gideon to idiota, któremu należy się co najwyżej porządne zdzielenie po łbie. Dawno nie czytałam o postaci, która by mnie tak irytowała. I to przez 700 stron! Może w pierwszej połowie jeszcze dobrze się sprzedał, ale w drugiej części książki tylko się w moich oczach pogrążał. Aż do ostatniej sceny. Ciężki przypadek.

Dziwi mnie to, jak niewiele dowiedzieliśmy się z tej książki (tak koszmarnie długiej!) na temat tego, co działo się z resztą Duskwalkerów i królem demonów. Niby ich spotykamy, ale tak jakby tematu wojny nie było. Podejrzane to, zwłaszcza patrząc na to, jak blisko jesteśmy zakończenia serii.

Najjaśniejszym punktem tej części było ponowne spotkanie z Merikhiem. I love him, your honor.

[☆Kylie☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3 Stars.
Steam: 0 out of 10.
Triggers: gore and the author has a list
Love Triangle: No
Cheating:   No
HEA: Yes

I won't be classifying the steam because I skipped all the sex scenes. I liked this world a lot and read it because of the story.

More detailed review to come

[April Bruner · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have been an avid follower of this series since day one. I'm also an avid lover of MM romance, meaning this should have been a slam dunk for me.

The first half of this book? Actual, literal perfection. We have sunshine meets sunshine between Aleron and Gideon. When they're both in Tenebris, I was having the best time. Gideon was kind and patient and the love that blossomed between the two was breathtaking. The sarcasm and wit the dialog had was so natural sounding.

"Somewhere along the line, Aleron had turned into a fuzzy moth, ever chasing this human's handsome, transfixing light."

But then you get to the second half of this very long novel. It just felt too much. I didn't connect with Gideon in the second half at ALL, and for me it didn't get better. He was (rightfully) so angry, but it came off as rude and mean.

I really wanted to rate this higher, but the middle of the second half I was begging for it to be over. Now that might have been because I am a mood reader, and monster romance just isn't what I'm currently wanting to read, but I just felt like it dragged on. The ending helped, considering we got to see some old faces from previous Duskwalker Brides, but this wasn't my favorite from the series.

[Alina Kravets · Rating 4 out of 5]

Цю книгу можна було б вкоротити, бо як на мене багатенько непотрібних думок героїв, але вона мені все одно сподобалась.💎

Пара: Алерон & Гідеон


Тропи:
⋆ monster romance
⋆ милий головний герой
⋆ амнезія
⋆ вимушена близкість
⋆ mental health
⋆ невинний головний герой


Прокинувшись у загробному житті, Гідеон усвідомлює, що його життя скінчилося, а шлях назад закритий. Світ навколо здається чужим і неприродним, а спогади про минуле не дають йому спокою.
Він і гадки не мав, що знайде сенс у смерті завдяки новому дивному другу.

Після вимушеної розлуки з близнюком Алерон опиняється в Тенебрісі. Доля зводить його з харизматичним і загадковим чоловіком, який усе більше зачаровує його. Гідеон веселий, але зранений, і кожен його жест пробуджує в Алероні бажання, яке неможливо ігнорувати.

Алерон готовий любити всім серцем, він дорожить своїм обранцем і ладен захистити його від усього світу. Але навіть коли здається, що щастя вже поруч, доля здатна перекреслити всі надії.

Було дуже багато милих моментів, те як Алерон хотів щоб Гідеон став його нареченою.😅

Також був момент який мене дуже сильно розчулив.
Це коли Гідеон не міг пригадати Алерона і їх стосунки, він був таким терплячим, поступився своїми бажаннями, ради своєї пари.💔

Продовжую далі.❤️‍🔥

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

The first 25% of the book was entirely boring. It felt like just a huge info dump with a sprinkle of story. I like our main characters individually but do not feel any actual chemistry at all. I kept trying but it just felt so forced.

The story picks up after this as soon as they go to the elven world and it goes pretty smoothly, entertaining, and I’m finally starting to get more feelings towards our main couple. They’re developing and I’m down for it. But that is short lived.

They come back to life and the story just plummets once again. This time it’s just sad and depressing and I effing hate that Aleron is literally forced to suffer once again. I’m now at 60% and wondering if I should even continue.

It’s one thing for Gideon to forget his memories and of course be scared and wary but he’s just so mean to our big guy. Yeah yeah he apologizes but it’s literally torture reading through all the bad.

And then Gideon goes and does something else that is horrible. He checks on his old life and freaking steals his old guitar back because technically it’s his. But come on. It’s been 8 years and they freaking named their child after you, you have NO IDEA what that guitar actually means to them. They are all freaking poor, maybe they make use of it and play it for extra money to pay for things for the kids. He doesn’t know because he just up and takes it. And it is OBVIOUS that it means so much to Beau since he literally risked his life by running outside to get it back. What a completely selfish and dick move. Gideon is just out to hurt everyone’s feelings with zero f*cks given.

Moving a little more forward and now I’m upset that Gideon sounds like a broken record for apologizing to Aleron for hurting him or yelling at him. Yet, he keeps doing it. He sees and knows he is at fault for causing so much pain and fear in Aleron. Aleron is literally walking on eggshells around Gideon’s feelings and temper and it’s triggering my PTSD. I KNOW he is coping with death and lashing out but seriously taking out your feelings harshly on someone else is cruel.

I went from really liking Gideon to downright hating him. He doesn’t deserve Aleron.

And now that Gideon has decided he’s ready to pursue Aleron he just takes what he wants without asking or explaining. Gtfo with your selfish ass. Aleron is still so scared to hurt Gideon or push too much and it’s literally sickening me. And he knew what he was doing just to push Aleron over the edge instead of just TALKING to him. I hate mind games so much. It’s insanely immature and hurtful.

But finally, now that I’ve made it to the 80% mark Aleron is over Gideon’s bs and snaps at him angrily. Which THEN forces Gideon to say what his intentions are. I doubt it’ll last for the rest of the book though. Regressing seems to be a theme.

And I was right. Barely made it passed the next scene before Gideon is back to being closed off and not talking properly about things. And poor Aleron is blaming himself for it because of course he is. 🥺

After all of that horrible damage done to Aleron Gideon finally remembers enough memories to realize what a complete pos he’s been and “redeems” himself. I’m still salty with him and just find myself so disappointed in this book.

The reunion was probably my most anticipated part of this book and I was ghastly disappointed of how little of the book had of Aleron and Ingram together. What little was there was typical and then funny and then super sweet. Just wish there had been more.

In the end Gideon claims the only reason why he didn’t try just talking to Aleron about things is because of his humanity being underdeveloped. The first half of the book though Gideon is literally telling Aleron that he is a fast learner and just needs to be shown or taught. I’m over his excuses.

These books are such a hit or miss for me but I ALWAYS love our big Mavka. They are seriously the sweetest and the best. The spicy scenes don’t really do it for me but the story itself is generally fascinating so that’s easy to look past. However, I’m not sure if I’m going to want to even read the next book in this, the hint has me thinking it’s the green guy and the goddess. Hmm.

[Esmée D'Costa · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ rounded up to 4 stars

the characters in this book were great and the first half was a-freaking-maxing! The second half, or like last third of the book was just…. not it for me, it dragged a bit imo. While there were definitely also really nice scenes in there that I wouldn’t have wanted to miss out on, the longer it continued the more I was looking forward to the end? Idk I’m sad I didn’t love it more because I was so looking forward to this book!! But tbh also even more sad that I didn’t finish the book with the excitement of the first half, bc that was so good!

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

Love this series, just not this book

This is one of my favorite, if not my favorite, monster series. All of the stories have been incredible. The twins have been my favorite since they were introduced. This story was so blah though! There was so much internal dialog. I just flipped through a lot of it once I got to like, 50%. The dialog between these two was so cute for the most part, there just needed to be more of it. I also wish there was more interaction with the other couples. That was such a great part in the other books. And to go through 2 books talking about how these brothers wanted to get back to their kindred THEN NOT EVEN GET ALERON’S TAKE ON THEIR MEETING/CONVO or any special scene with them?? Wtf! I’ll end by saying Aleron was done dirty by making that one thing happen. My poor, sweet boy!

[Marie A · Rating 2 out of 5]

That was a struggle, frankly it was boring.

[Hailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

When it comes to the Duskwalkers, I will ALWAYS gobble these books down. This one is a MM pairing, and Aleron is so gut-wrenchingly precious. Love

[Lila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally, a gay romance. I was waiting for this.

I think Aleron might actually be the biggest sweetheart of them all. He's very playful and almost child-like. I love that it showcases a Mavka who is not as developed and needs to learn more about the world and even themselves. For everyone before, it felt that even if they weren't as developed before, at the beginning of their story they would suddenly get an influx of intelligence and humanity.

The story seems to move both fast and slow at the same time. When you get at around half the book, they're already together, and you feel like it's gone too fast and what else is there to happen in the other half. Without spoiling too much, there is a twist and Aleron needs to win Gideon back, using everything Gideon thought him at the beginning, in Tenebris.

They both help each other and learn together, as well as heal each other. It's actually surprisingly sweet, and there are a lot of heartfelt and funny moments. I love how Gideon taught Aleron what sarcasm is, and honestly, when Aleron does it, he's way funnier. They are a good match.

[Honest Mabel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was not for me. While I pre-ordered it before knowing, the content is not my preference. So I am out the money and have zero interest in m/m. My review is as high simply bc I like the author’s writing style

[—lex♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aleron es de mis duskwalkers favoritos (qué digo, si me han gustado todos xd) y su historia con Gideon me parece linda. Pero no encuentro mucho más que eso. El arco de los elfos y de la pérdida de memoria me molestaron un poquito. Sobretodo el primero, que Raewyn me cae como una patada. Pero al menos conocimos a la abuela y pudimos ver la preocupación de Weldir por sus hijos y su esposa, eso fue lindo a su manera.

[Chloe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fall more and more in love with this series with each book. Opal really does not miss, ever!

Aleron is the cutest little bean and he’s so loving and caring even when he’s pushed to his limits. I loved him so much. I just wanted to give him a big hug the entire time.

I loved the growing relationship between Gideon and Aleron and the journey they went through. Gideon is dealing with a lot but you really get into his mind and understand the trauma he is dealing with and how he overcomes it.

As you come to expect from Opal, it is a rollercoaster of emotions. I found myself laughing, crying and squealing with joy.

I can’t wait to see what awaits us with the rest of the series. It truly is one of my all time favourites.

ARC received in exchange for an unbiased review.

[Kaitlyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Aleron is a sweetheart, a cinnamon roll, a Golden Retriever of a man. He goes through so much and works so hard throughout. That being said, his lack of experience and humanity made him feel so child-like it was hard to find him sexy, and I didn't want to find him sexy. Which, for an erotic romance, is a bad sign.

Gideon is interesting, but not enough to cover for his asshole tendencies. He's impulsive, selfish, and often cruel. While the MM romance/representation is a nice change of pace, I'm not into anal, regardless of the genders involved, and there was a lot more of that in this book than the previous.

That being said, I'm very curious about A Soul to Protect coming up.

P.S., Stop trying to make 'cock pocket' happen. Its not going to happen.

[Ellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an amazing story! Gideon is such a good man, can be stupid at times, but all in all a good man.

ALERON HAS MY HEART!!!!!

I have loved all the Duskwalkers, I have read their stories so many times, but this boy! This cute, sweet, fluffy, good boy is officially my favorite! He is just the sweetest boy with the biggest heart! He is so loving for everyone and everything and it just hurts my heart how sweet he is!

These boys really go through some things throughout the story, some were hard to read and tore at my heart, but I think that they both needed it in a way and I feel they grew to be exactly who they needed to be by the end of it.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this is the best story of the series. Going from Tenebris to the land of the living was done so well. In the first half of the book, I felt like it was totally lacking, but by the second half, I realized.. that was completely done on purpose. Because, duh, if you're in Tenebris, you're dead and meaningful things are dulled.

[Nadia · Rating 4 out of 5]

▪️Rating:
-3.5 rounded up to 4

▪️Thoughts:

*My review has been redacted to avoid spoilers*

-"Aleron wanted to be needed, wanted to be useful to someone in the way he had been vital for his dear kindred. He wanted someone to give him meaning."

Ufff, Aleron was perfect he is a big teddy bear I will protect and shield him from anything and everything including (....). I loved the beginning, the chemistry and connection Aleron and Gideon had regarding pain, loss, and longing they were going through was deep. Also, I enjoyed getting to read once again about previous characters in a different POV (reading about what is happening in the present for some of them was perfection) and how they interacted with the MCs was huge to me, which made this story a bit less painful for me. I truly believe (....) will always have the best wishes and intentions in mind for the Mavka and I can not wait to know more about it.

-“Weldir helped me. He made sure I was not completely alone and has often been by my side."

As I said, the beginning was wonderful and I really enjoyed it, but as the story went on the location and tune changed especially because of the (....). That change pained me, I could not move on from that. For some reason it just impacted me so much. Aleron, I mean poor Aleron I could not imagine. Aleron is the most sweet, caring, and patient Mavka. I know all Mavka have different amount of humanity, which leads to how they understand and perceive their own emotions and the emotions from the people around them. Therefore, if they lack humanity sometimes it may be difficult for them to understand how to react or help someone.

-The longing to tell this male how much he meant to him, how much he cared for and adored him, simmered within his mind. He wanted to call him his bride and let him know he would be utterly cherished for life.

My feelings and conclusions overall just kept coming to the same thing over and over again. I wanted Aleron to feel cherished, cared for, and worshipped the same way he wants to provide all of that for his bride because I know how fiercely, unconditionally, and strong these Mavka love.

-Even if he needed to chisel his way through the coal of his inner self, Aleron would make sure he flared bright like lava once more.

The world building has been great throughout this series (because I have read every single book within this series and each of them I love for different reasons) and reading how everything is coming together once again has me grinning. Opal Rayne writes in a way where she slowly introduces new characters which intrigue me and pull me in, I always end up caring for all of them. It's unavoidable, the feelings I have for these Mavka run deep in my veins.

-“I do not know where you were before I met you, but I will not let you go,” Aleron stated, his tone holding confidence in his promise. “I will stay by your side, always.”

Of course, all of this is my opinion and experience of reading this book, and it will vary from person to person as they read Aleron’s and Gideon's story. As I mentioned previously, some aspects of the book impacted me and I had to sometimes take a break get my emotions in order and continue reading.

-Always space, always the opposite of what he wanted.

Overall, my emotions at this point are still conflicted if I'm being completely honest. Did I love it? Yes, I did. Did I enjoy it? Once again also, yes I really did. However, there are just some actions that still wound me and I think only time can take care of that.

▪️Key points:
-A Soul to Steal is not a standalone, it is part of a interconnected plot so it is recommended to at least read book five, A Soul to Revive, to better understand this book.
-Aleron: Ingram's twin brother. Ingram's book is the fifth in the series, A Soul to Revive.
-Gideon: Emerie's adopted brother. Emerie is the FMC in book five, A Soul to Revive.

I received this book as an ARC, this is my honest review.

[Shawna Squire · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, what does Opal Reyne put in these books? They are all fantastic, shockingly so. The sixth book in the series picks up right where we left off in A Soul to Revive so I strongly recommend reading as a series or you will be quite lost in the Veil.

Aleron and Gideon… omg these two were everything. I loved reading their story as it developed, even if halfway through the book I was positively crushed with tears running down my face. All of these books have made me emotional as it is, and this one hit me pretty hard. The story of the twins is heartbreaking as it is, then Opal had to throw in another emotional curve ball to make me feel all of the things! IYKYK.

But really, I don’t even understand how these giant skull creatures have become some of the most endearing, kind, cinnamon rolls I’ve ever read… but here we are. Don’t judge a book by its cover… or do, you little freaks 😉

[Tarryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars