Shattered Oak

by Claudia Blood

A dryad snubbed by the forest must united with a wolf cursed at birth to defeat the coming evil…

Rennin doesn’t understand why her mother left her with the other dryads.

The evil infiltrating the world had not yet touched Rennin.

It wouldn’t stay away for long.

All hope rested upon the prophecy, one she believed was tied to Gant.

But when her relationship with Gant falls apart, Rennin meets a cursed werewolf who changes her entire view of the life she thought she knew.

Rennin must accept her new reality and embrace her fate if she hopes to save the dryad…and herself.

Shattered Oak is a novella in the Merged Series. Discover the secrets of the forest and join the battle against evil!

ebook

Published March 1, 2024

About the author

In spite of a busy life wrapped around a military husband, two young children, a dog, bunnies, and a day job, Claudia Blood manages to pen cozy, urban, and science fantasies.

My upcoming books:
A Christmas Tail, Horizon Echo, and Scale of the Dragon

Reviews

[Shellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shattered Oak, a mesmerizing novella in the Merged Series, takes readers on an enchanting journey where a young dryad and a cursed wolf must join forces to confront a looming evil. In this gripping narrative, Rennin, a bewildered dryad, grapples with her abandonment by her mother and the ominous presence creeping into their world. As the threat draws closer, Rennin's path intertwines with Gant, a werewolf burdened by a lifelong curse. Together, they must unravel the threads of destiny and confront their own personal struggles to protect the dryad community.

The story captivates from the very beginning, as Rennin's confusion and longing for answers resonate deeply with the reader. The author masterfully weaves a sense of foreboding, skillfully portraying the impending danger that threatens to shatter the delicate balance of their existence. With each page, the stakes heighten, compelling readers to become emotionally invested in Rennin's journey and the fate of her kind.

Through Rennin's evolving relationship with Gant, the novella explores themes of self-discovery, acceptance, and the power of unity. Rennin's initial disillusionment with Gant's failure to fulfill her expectations forces her to reevaluate her assumptions and confront her own vulnerabilities. This character growth adds depth to the narrative, allowing readers to witness the protagonists' personal transformations alongside the unfolding events.

The author's prose is evocative and vivid, painting a rich tapestry of the mystical forest and its inhabitants. The descriptions breathe life into the enchanting setting, immersing readers in the beauty and dangers of the natural world. The pacing of the story is well-balanced, maintaining a sense of urgency while allowing room for introspection and the exploration of intricate relationships.

Shattered Oak not only offers an enthralling tale of fantasy and adventure but also serves a greater purpose. Originally part of the Adamant Spirits charity anthology, the novella has been thoughtfully reformatted for individual reading. Readers can indulge in the captivating storyline while supporting a worthy cause.

In conclusion, Shattered Oak is a spellbinding novella that seamlessly blends elements of fantasy, destiny, and self-discovery. With its compelling characters, atmospheric prose, and underlying themes of unity and acceptance, this book is a must-read for fans of romantic urban fantasy, science fiction, and paranormal romance. Join Rennin and Gant as they navigate a world on the brink of darkness and discover the secrets of the forest in their fight against evil.

[Carinkla · Rating 5 out of 5]

Touching novella about discovering one’s purpose in life

The story is about a dryade, Rennen and takes place about 150 years before the rest of the merged series. It's an origin story and at first glance not related to the merged main series, until the end. This suggests that Rennen will appear in one of the merged books. But I have read the first three parts and have not consciously come across her.

The main characters Rennen and Adelram are relatable but, maybe because its a novella, not as deep as I am used to from the novels. But they are sympathetic and their motivations very believable. Both are trying to find purpose in life. One by desperately trying to fulfill a prophecy that will save a lot of people and one by circumventing a prophecy that will damn a lot of people.

The basic premise of this story struck a sensitive chord with me. But I wonder if not everyone in one way or another is wondering about their purpose in life. And all that makes it a very interesting story

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This paranormal fantasy romance is page-turning with exceptional characters and world-building that is realistic. Their journey is enthralling with secrets of the forest, joining the battle against evil, fantasy, supernatural, dystopian, shifter, magic, mythical world, dryad, romantic elements, merged world, action, adventure, and more. I recommend reading this book by an extraordinary author who knows how to captivate her reader's hearts and attention with shattered oak and a paranormal fantasy with a touch of romance.

I received a free copy of this book via Book Sprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Anne Curry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enthralling. Bit of a cliffhanger. Good plot and character development. Especially female lead. Worth the read. finding where she belonged.

Mates, death, love, driads, shifters, others, protecting one's kind, evil, doing the right thing, starting over, don't fit in, treated different because not the same, going out of comfort zone.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Clara Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shattered Oak is a captivating supernatural post-apocalyptic fantasy with romance woven beautifully into the story. Rennin and Adelram’s journey is full of tension, magic, and emotional depth, making their struggle against darkness both thrilling and heartfelt. The world-building is vivid, and the stakes feel real, pulling you into the story from the first page.

A must-read for fans of urban fantasy, supernatural romance, and epic adventures. Highly recommended!

[Charlotte · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is a good start. I'm already interested in Rennan's journey! I would like to see some more world building, but this was such a sort story, it probably wasn't needed. I like the characters so far. I would like to read the next one!

[Jeanne Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read several books written by Claudia Blood; she is becoming one of my favorite authors. I can’t wait to read more of her books.

This is part of the Merged Series; it is a stand-alone short story. The story is about Rennin & Grant.

I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.

[Gee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great start to Renan’s story in such a short read. The world building is excellent, again giving such an overview to her story so quickly. Her relationships with both Gant and Adelram felt so real, and the understanding by his pack was really good too.Can’t wait until the start of their story.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Rose Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an exceptional first installment to this series, and intro into this mystical world Claudia has created. I enjoyed this exciting short-story, it’s an interesting foundation for the series. I’m looking forward to continuing this series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jaime · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fast, fun read. It's a prequel to the series so you can start here. I enjoyed it and look forward to more from this series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kelsey Rhodes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this novella. For a short story, the depth of character development and world-building was top-notch. I found myself rooting for Rennan and eager to see what be next in this world.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Hanna Belle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another short story in the Merged series that I liked! The characters were fun and I loved the setting, the story tied in well with the main series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Micki-D · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fast and fun little read. This novella maybe short and sweet but the world building and characters depth are great it gets you invested in Reannas story. You get dryads, magic, action, adventure, curses, wolf shifters

[AMBER CLARK · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another standalone short story by Blood. The story flows well from beginning to end and has fun characters. Looking forward to more in the story of Rennin.

[Cath · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is part of the Merged World series and is a prequel to a new series. The main characters are dryad Rennin and cursed wolf shifter Adelram, who are both outcasts in their own lives. Rennin had to be left behind by her own mother, Meadow Deeproot, in the safety of the Dryad’s forest and the last safe haven. Her own mother became a Tree Protector, a Dryad who has killed and can live outside the sanctuary of their tree, staying with her human mate to fight the darkness and evil upon the world. Her mother knows that Rennin is not the chosen one who will lift the curse and merge the lines. The cursed boy in the hamlet, Gant, was born on the same day as Rennen and the thought was hoped that she and Gant would mate and lift the curse. But her mother knew that wasn’t her fate, Rennen was set to follow her mother as a Tree Protector, and she had to leave Rennen all alone in the Dryad hamlet to grow up alone and isolated. When Rennen was old enough, she tried to get Gant to mate with her rather than allow himself to be taken over by his curse. The time had come for Gant to travel to the Cursed Keep and Rennen wanted to stop him, but his curse is taking over and The Master is waiting for him! He may love her, but he knows that she does not love him as she should and refuses to accept her mating necklace! She feels she has failed in her only reason for living, to fulfil the prophecy.

Gant however, realises there is danger in the area and that she needs to get back to the safety of the hamlet, being too close to the Cursed Keep and the damaged lands. Gant had picked up on the fact a wolf was nearby, one of the dangers in this damaged place, as well as The Master. Gant tries to distract the wolf, but he is caught by the strange scent of Rennen and chases her instead. She proves herself to be a worthy opponent, almost leading him into a number of traps, before he catches up to her in a weakened state. He is himself a cursed wolf shifter, having been deemed to be the one who will lead to their clan being caged, meaning his people would go mad. He was an outcast from his clan, knowing he could never mate one of his own. Finding this mysterious dryad so far away from her tree, he wonders if she might be the answer to breaking his own curse. She wants to seek safety with another Tree Protector who lives in woods on the other side of the wolf clan’s grounds, so has to accept his presence to be able to get there in her current injured state. Taking her into his clan’s grounds, he wants to have her mate with him, in the hopes it will stop his own curse, but he will only have a short window of opportunity. He will also need to learn more about what exactly she is, as she is clearly not a normal Dryad! Nor does she really know about the rituals of wolves. She doesn’t want to become like her mother, but being an outsider within the Dryad hamlet for most of her life, left her struggling to be accepted by a tree, like other Dryads. Her new reality may well force her to a fate she never wanted for herself, but which she is clearly destined to face sooner rather than later. I received an ARC copy of this book from BookSprout and I have freely given my own opinion of the book above.