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Renhala #2
Golden Dunes of Renhala
How do you live with a secret so dark and so deeply woven into your being that it threatens to smother your very existence, with no known way out? Use it to your advantage. In this sequel of the Renhala series, Kailey Rooke, karmelean, and now a possibly unethical karma-for-hire, has spent the past year jumping from project to project without any real hope for salvation. With repercussions from her actions at every turn, she discovers that as time goes on, she loses a bit more of herself to that which feeds on her anguish--that which is thriving inside her own body.When a new contract to find a missing girl arises, Kailey attempts to put her past and its associated problems on the back burner, but she soon finds out that treachery and deceit lie shortly ahead in Golden Dunes, only giving face to new problems, with one leading right back to her childhood past. She struggles to complete her contract as her own life teeters on a fulcrum, constantly tipping according to karma’s whim. How long will she keep her balance? Which way will she fall?
240 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 22, 2013
3 people are currently reading
294 people want to read
About the author
Amy Joy Lutchen
3 books246 followersWas born in Chicago and slept in a dresser drawer for the first few weeks of her life, marking her as a future claustrophobe.
She studied at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana (man she grew up quick), where she became a number, but decided it was a good number.
She writes with plenty of snacks in hand, making sure they are not in multiples of three. That number makes her nervous.
Inspired by real-life traumatic experiences and driven by a need for changing the horrific into fantastical, Amy wrote her debut series: the Renhala series. Serving as an outlet during dark times, the Renhala series was written as a small step out of the shadows and a giant step toward empowerment.
She studied at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana (man she grew up quick), where she became a number, but decided it was a good number.
She writes with plenty of snacks in hand, making sure they are not in multiples of three. That number makes her nervous.
Inspired by real-life traumatic experiences and driven by a need for changing the horrific into fantastical, Amy wrote her debut series: the Renhala series. Serving as an outlet during dark times, the Renhala series was written as a small step out of the shadows and a giant step toward empowerment.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
May 26, 2020
RENHALA!!!!!
i was very glad to read more about the world of renhala, having enjoyed the first one so much despite it being paranormal romance/urban fantasy, which is a largely unexplored genre for me. this second book in the series was a mere 191 pages to the 462 of the first one, so it's a much smaller story in scope, and i liked it only slightly less than the first one, so that's why the three stars, because it makes sense in my head to star-rate within the bigger-picture of an author's work.
but it's a good story, and i would definitely recommend it to people who like urban fantasy, because it is way better than my other experiences within the genre, as limited as they have been.
this one mostly takes place in renhala itself, instead of chicago/renhala, so maybe "urban fantasy" is the wrong term, but i'm still gonna use it.
all the (surviving) beloved characters from the first book are back, and she does a really good job reminding the reader of the important bits of the first book, which is something i appreciate; both the refreshers themselves and the skill of doing it so it doesn't bog the story down with reminder-exposition. it seems elementary, but few authors do this well.
the central story to this one is great - it is almost like a little alternate-dimension-mystery novel, and i was genuinely surprised by the outcome. i would try to give a synopsis, but since this takes place in such a highly-detailed fantasy realm, i think it would just be confusing, because you would all be going "what the hell is a sudo-abominor??", and "what's a greble??" etc, so it's probably best to just talk about the things the book does well as a book.
the world-building in the first one was amazing, and it continues here. there are new creatures (HOOLIES!), new mythologies, but with plenty of carry-over from the first book, ending on a situation which invites future adventures.
the characters are also well-rendered and complex, especially kailey, who has become a host to a force that makes her… difficult to be around, and she is forced to battle both with it, and her own baggage from the first book. she straddles the hero/antihero line the whole way through, and it's a tricky thing to pull off.
as for the stuff i liked somewhat less. again, i don't read in this genre, so my minor quibbles are probably quibbles i would have with the genre in toto. but when you have a healer in your cadre, it kind of undermines the tension of a book; if the aftermath of every battle can be repaired without too much difficulty, the battles themselves lose their urgency. and it's not failsafe - people do still die in renhala, but fewer than should. me, i like consequences and suffering, so healers feel like cheating me outta my good stuff.
and here's where i am going to contradict myself from my opinion of the first book, because i am allowed. and it involves the love triangle. i know what i said in my first review, that i would have chosen the other fellow. and in this one, the love triangle shifts again, and the characters have been somewhat changed by circumstances, and i find myself in the other camp entirely. can't win in a love triangle, is the takeaway from this.
but those were my only gripes. and the tease of a short book after such a huge one, but it's probably for the best, considering how far behind my reading-challenge i am. i love renhala, and i will be back for more.
come to my blog!
i was very glad to read more about the world of renhala, having enjoyed the first one so much despite it being paranormal romance/urban fantasy, which is a largely unexplored genre for me. this second book in the series was a mere 191 pages to the 462 of the first one, so it's a much smaller story in scope, and i liked it only slightly less than the first one, so that's why the three stars, because it makes sense in my head to star-rate within the bigger-picture of an author's work.
but it's a good story, and i would definitely recommend it to people who like urban fantasy, because it is way better than my other experiences within the genre, as limited as they have been.
this one mostly takes place in renhala itself, instead of chicago/renhala, so maybe "urban fantasy" is the wrong term, but i'm still gonna use it.
all the (surviving) beloved characters from the first book are back, and she does a really good job reminding the reader of the important bits of the first book, which is something i appreciate; both the refreshers themselves and the skill of doing it so it doesn't bog the story down with reminder-exposition. it seems elementary, but few authors do this well.
the central story to this one is great - it is almost like a little alternate-dimension-mystery novel, and i was genuinely surprised by the outcome. i would try to give a synopsis, but since this takes place in such a highly-detailed fantasy realm, i think it would just be confusing, because you would all be going "what the hell is a sudo-abominor??", and "what's a greble??" etc, so it's probably best to just talk about the things the book does well as a book.
the world-building in the first one was amazing, and it continues here. there are new creatures (HOOLIES!), new mythologies, but with plenty of carry-over from the first book, ending on a situation which invites future adventures.
the characters are also well-rendered and complex, especially kailey, who has become a host to a force that makes her… difficult to be around, and she is forced to battle both with it, and her own baggage from the first book. she straddles the hero/antihero line the whole way through, and it's a tricky thing to pull off.
as for the stuff i liked somewhat less. again, i don't read in this genre, so my minor quibbles are probably quibbles i would have with the genre in toto. but when you have a healer in your cadre, it kind of undermines the tension of a book; if the aftermath of every battle can be repaired without too much difficulty, the battles themselves lose their urgency. and it's not failsafe - people do still die in renhala, but fewer than should. me, i like consequences and suffering, so healers feel like cheating me outta my good stuff.
and here's where i am going to contradict myself from my opinion of the first book, because i am allowed. and it involves the love triangle. i know what i said in my first review, that i would have chosen the other fellow. and in this one, the love triangle shifts again, and the characters have been somewhat changed by circumstances, and i find myself in the other camp entirely. can't win in a love triangle, is the takeaway from this.
but those were my only gripes. and the tease of a short book after such a huge one, but it's probably for the best, considering how far behind my reading-challenge i am. i love renhala, and i will be back for more.
come to my blog!
January 3, 2014
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to author Amy Joy Lutchen.)
This is book 2 in the ‘Renhala’ series.
**Warning – some unavoidable spoilers for book 1 ‘Renhala’.**
Kailey is trying to deal with her sudo-abominor, and also trying to help people, as she accepts jobs around Renhala.
Kailey’s latest job is finding a missing girl (Flora), only things are more complicated than Kailey realised, and before long she finds herself in a heap of trouble.
What has happened to Flora? How long can Kailey keep her sudo-abominor in check? And What else will she learn on the journey?
This was an interesting second instalment, with some surprising events.
Kailey obviously went through a lot of changes in the first book, and she’s a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde character in this story, constantly fighting the pull of the sudo-abominor, and trying instead to do good. It was fairly easy to spot when things were about to get out of her control, and interesting to see her sometimes fight what sudo-abominor wanted! She did have moments were I thought she was pretty harsh, and even bloodthirsty though, and at times it really was Kailey and not sudo-abominor.
The storyline in this one basically revolved around Kailey and their entourage as they tried to find a missing girl – Flora, in Renhala. There were several other aspects to the story though, and some real surprises along the way!
There was quite a lot of information in this one. I understand that it was necessary, because boy did we need a recap after book 1, but it also made certain parts of the book drag a bit. Once I’d remembered what had happened I did end up glossing over these large blocks of information a bit, as they really slowed the pace of the story. This story wasn’t quite as long as the first one though, so overall the pace seemed quicker.
There were quite a lot of surprising events in this one, and we also got a bit more information about Kailey’s family, and her brother Stephen. There was also a story told to Kailey that involved some animal cruelty and was very sad, and we got a brief, unexpected death, that had a very strange conclusion.
There was some romance in this one, but again it was very brief, and not a major part of the story. Again we had this sort-of love triangle thing going on with Kailey, Connor, and Ladimer, but because there was very little romance in this, the love triangle wasn’t really a problem.
The ending to this was okay, and we did get an interesting event right at the very end that was unexpected, and I thought a little funny! It will certainly be interesting to see what Kailey does about this in the next book!
Overall; an interesting sequel.
7 out of 10.
This is book 2 in the ‘Renhala’ series.
**Warning – some unavoidable spoilers for book 1 ‘Renhala’.**
Kailey is trying to deal with her sudo-abominor, and also trying to help people, as she accepts jobs around Renhala.
Kailey’s latest job is finding a missing girl (Flora), only things are more complicated than Kailey realised, and before long she finds herself in a heap of trouble.
What has happened to Flora? How long can Kailey keep her sudo-abominor in check? And What else will she learn on the journey?
This was an interesting second instalment, with some surprising events.
Kailey obviously went through a lot of changes in the first book, and she’s a bit of a Jekyll and Hyde character in this story, constantly fighting the pull of the sudo-abominor, and trying instead to do good. It was fairly easy to spot when things were about to get out of her control, and interesting to see her sometimes fight what sudo-abominor wanted! She did have moments were I thought she was pretty harsh, and even bloodthirsty though, and at times it really was Kailey and not sudo-abominor.
The storyline in this one basically revolved around Kailey and their entourage as they tried to find a missing girl – Flora, in Renhala. There were several other aspects to the story though, and some real surprises along the way!
There was quite a lot of information in this one. I understand that it was necessary, because boy did we need a recap after book 1, but it also made certain parts of the book drag a bit. Once I’d remembered what had happened I did end up glossing over these large blocks of information a bit, as they really slowed the pace of the story. This story wasn’t quite as long as the first one though, so overall the pace seemed quicker.
There were quite a lot of surprising events in this one, and we also got a bit more information about Kailey’s family, and her brother Stephen. There was also a story told to Kailey that involved some animal cruelty and was very sad, and we got a brief, unexpected death, that had a very strange conclusion.
There was some romance in this one, but again it was very brief, and not a major part of the story. Again we had this sort-of love triangle thing going on with Kailey, Connor, and Ladimer, but because there was very little romance in this, the love triangle wasn’t really a problem.
The ending to this was okay, and we did get an interesting event right at the very end that was unexpected, and I thought a little funny! It will certainly be interesting to see what Kailey does about this in the next book!
Overall; an interesting sequel.
7 out of 10.
August 24, 2014
I got a copy for beta read and a honest review. My review is based on the beta read, so it's entirely possible the final version is even better.
As soon as I started this book I was so glad to be back in the world of Renhala. This book is even more fast paced and filled with action than the first book, but it’s also a bit darker than the first book. And I totally enjoyed it and this managed to get me about of a reading slump, I finished Golden Dunes of Renhala in 2 days.
The story start a while after Renhala ended, also it was quite some time ago that I had read Renhala and I had forgotten a lot already. I didn’t have time to re-read Renhala, but I quickly found out that that wasn’t even necessary. Just enough details are given on what happened in the first book to remind me of what happened in the first book. The story is fast paced and full of action. The story had that keep-reading-feel. It did have a few dark moments and I kept hoping Kailey would get better.
This book focuses less on the characters than book 1. There is some character development, but there were less interactions and I felt there was less attention for the side characters. Also I wished there was more romance, because there wasn’t enough of that in this book. I did like reading about all those great characters again, I really liked Jenna and Bu in this book.
While the focus in this book is on the story, there is also some world building. The world building mainly focuses on the region of the Golden Dunes and the neighboring land/country. The most part of the world building is already done in book 1 and only some bits are added in this book, like niva.
To conclude: I really enjoyed Golden Dunes of Renhala and I have to say it’s almost as good as book 1. The story is fast paced and full of action. The story is a bit darker. I really liked Jenna and Bu in this book and I was so glad to be back in the world of Renhala!
As soon as I started this book I was so glad to be back in the world of Renhala. This book is even more fast paced and filled with action than the first book, but it’s also a bit darker than the first book. And I totally enjoyed it and this managed to get me about of a reading slump, I finished Golden Dunes of Renhala in 2 days.
The story start a while after Renhala ended, also it was quite some time ago that I had read Renhala and I had forgotten a lot already. I didn’t have time to re-read Renhala, but I quickly found out that that wasn’t even necessary. Just enough details are given on what happened in the first book to remind me of what happened in the first book. The story is fast paced and full of action. The story had that keep-reading-feel. It did have a few dark moments and I kept hoping Kailey would get better.
This book focuses less on the characters than book 1. There is some character development, but there were less interactions and I felt there was less attention for the side characters. Also I wished there was more romance, because there wasn’t enough of that in this book. I did like reading about all those great characters again, I really liked Jenna and Bu in this book.
While the focus in this book is on the story, there is also some world building. The world building mainly focuses on the region of the Golden Dunes and the neighboring land/country. The most part of the world building is already done in book 1 and only some bits are added in this book, like niva.
To conclude: I really enjoyed Golden Dunes of Renhala and I have to say it’s almost as good as book 1. The story is fast paced and full of action. The story is a bit darker. I really liked Jenna and Bu in this book and I was so glad to be back in the world of Renhala!
April 21, 2014
Now that I've read the second book I can say that this is one of my favorite series!
Kailey's skills are now for hire, which introduces us to some new characters and a plot with even more twists and turns. She has a lot on her plate as usual. She must deal with a great loss, an inner turmoil, more family secrets are revealed and let's not leave out the new developments with her ooh la la love triangle!
Her new clients lead her to the main setting of the book, the Dunes of Renhala. Some are dark, sinister and selfish while others are kind and just want to do the right thing but watch out, all of them have their secrets. We also get to meet some more fun Renhala creatures, from cute and adorable Hoolies to the not so cute but please can I have one Grumblepigs.
Kailey is cursed with Sudo-Abominor and keeping it under control isn't so easy. It's a terrible anger that's hiding inside of her and when it surfaces it frightens everyone around her. You can count on her ever loyal friends always stick by her sides, sweet and scary. One minute she's calm and collected and the next she's uncontrollable anger and rage. Hmm, I might have had a touch of the Sudo-Abominor curse in my past. The inner struggle of right from wrong, desire and rationality, emotion and logic.
There was mention of a Jambleberry that interested me. It's very reminiscent of the spirit molecule DMT. That's an entirely different topic all together though.
A great read that never has a dull page in it! Loved it and I will be as loyal to Kailey as her trusted companions still by her side, yep, I may have misled you slightly about all of them remaining her loyal sidekicks....
Kailey's skills are now for hire, which introduces us to some new characters and a plot with even more twists and turns. She has a lot on her plate as usual. She must deal with a great loss, an inner turmoil, more family secrets are revealed and let's not leave out the new developments with her ooh la la love triangle!
Her new clients lead her to the main setting of the book, the Dunes of Renhala. Some are dark, sinister and selfish while others are kind and just want to do the right thing but watch out, all of them have their secrets. We also get to meet some more fun Renhala creatures, from cute and adorable Hoolies to the not so cute but please can I have one Grumblepigs.
Kailey is cursed with Sudo-Abominor and keeping it under control isn't so easy. It's a terrible anger that's hiding inside of her and when it surfaces it frightens everyone around her. You can count on her ever loyal friends always stick by her sides, sweet and scary. One minute she's calm and collected and the next she's uncontrollable anger and rage. Hmm, I might have had a touch of the Sudo-Abominor curse in my past. The inner struggle of right from wrong, desire and rationality, emotion and logic.
There was mention of a Jambleberry that interested me. It's very reminiscent of the spirit molecule DMT. That's an entirely different topic all together though.
A great read that never has a dull page in it! Loved it and I will be as loyal to Kailey as her trusted companions still by her side, yep, I may have misled you slightly about all of them remaining her loyal sidekicks....
July 8, 2013
Seriously LOVE. The ending surprised me. I didn't see it coming at all. There felt like there were literally no down moments and I was never bored reading it. It was packed full of emotion, kick assery, and romance. All were balanced perfectly. I literally loved every single second reading this book!!!
November 25, 2013
I have got to say that this is one of those few times where I actually liked the sequel MORE than the first book. Admittedly, it wasn't perfect, but it was pretty darn addicting.
The new characters, while mildly creepy, really made the book. In Renhala, it was sometimes hard keeping up with the mass amount of characters, due to the fact the the book was fairly long and pushed a lot of info at you all at the same time. In this book, the character names and personalities are extremely diverse (that's not to say that they weren't in the previous novel, but these character were just somehow more memorable), and each personality brought something new to the table - whether it was a mystery or an action-packed scene, the story was made better with the introduction of each character. While the new characters are great, I loved the old cast of characters too. Kailey's mind was constantly jumping (which led to a slight bit of confusion every now and then) which helped move the story forward during the really calm-before-the-storm type moments. There was a death or two that required me to flip a number of pages in a panic induced frenzy, and there was some romance between characters that pleased me beyond reason (love is in the air~)! As always, Bu was an adorable mass of stanky fur that made me smile throughout the book (dhsafdshla I'm in love with a 7-foot greble that smells like sewage water... yeah that sounds about right). Loved, loved, LOVED the characters in this book.
The plot was filled with a lot more action, and was fairly straight forward, making the book fairly easier to follow. Granted, there were moments here and there that I would have to pause and look back, but overall I got what was going on. Again, it helped that there were less characters, as well as the fact that there was only two focused missions. This book had a lot more mystery behind everything, as well as suspense and action. I did not expect the ending to go where it went, but once the truth was revealed, everything fell into place really well.
The only thing I can really complain about was the random mistake here and there throughout the novel, but overall, this book definitely surpassed Renhala.
But yeah, can I just gush over the end of the book? Ah ~~ While I'd be totally cool if there series ended there, I really hope it continues just 'cause I am truly curious as to what might come next for the Renhalian crew.
Golden Dunes of Renhala was full of action, plot twists, and riveting characters! Apart from deaths, violence, and all-consuming rage, this book made me laugh a lot too, and I definitely appreciated that. Well structured and well executed, this book will leave you at the edge of your seat, ready for more ~
Plot: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Writing: 3.5/5
World Building: 5/5
Cover: 5/5
Overall: 4.5/5
GoodReads Rating: 4.5/5
eBook obtained via the author, Amy Joy Lutchen, in exchange for an honest review.
-review by Between Printed Pages
The new characters, while mildly creepy, really made the book. In Renhala, it was sometimes hard keeping up with the mass amount of characters, due to the fact the the book was fairly long and pushed a lot of info at you all at the same time. In this book, the character names and personalities are extremely diverse (that's not to say that they weren't in the previous novel, but these character were just somehow more memorable), and each personality brought something new to the table - whether it was a mystery or an action-packed scene, the story was made better with the introduction of each character. While the new characters are great, I loved the old cast of characters too. Kailey's mind was constantly jumping (which led to a slight bit of confusion every now and then) which helped move the story forward during the really calm-before-the-storm type moments. There was a death or two that required me to flip a number of pages in a panic induced frenzy, and there was some romance between characters that pleased me beyond reason (love is in the air~)! As always, Bu was an adorable mass of stanky fur that made me smile throughout the book (dhsafdshla I'm in love with a 7-foot greble that smells like sewage water... yeah that sounds about right). Loved, loved, LOVED the characters in this book.
The plot was filled with a lot more action, and was fairly straight forward, making the book fairly easier to follow. Granted, there were moments here and there that I would have to pause and look back, but overall I got what was going on. Again, it helped that there were less characters, as well as the fact that there was only two focused missions. This book had a lot more mystery behind everything, as well as suspense and action. I did not expect the ending to go where it went, but once the truth was revealed, everything fell into place really well.
The only thing I can really complain about was the random mistake here and there throughout the novel, but overall, this book definitely surpassed Renhala.
But yeah, can I just gush over the end of the book? Ah ~~ While I'd be totally cool if there series ended there, I really hope it continues just 'cause I am truly curious as to what might come next for the Renhalian crew.
Golden Dunes of Renhala was full of action, plot twists, and riveting characters! Apart from deaths, violence, and all-consuming rage, this book made me laugh a lot too, and I definitely appreciated that. Well structured and well executed, this book will leave you at the edge of your seat, ready for more ~
Plot: 5/5
Characters: 5/5
Writing: 3.5/5
World Building: 5/5
Cover: 5/5
Overall: 4.5/5
GoodReads Rating: 4.5/5
eBook obtained via the author, Amy Joy Lutchen, in exchange for an honest review.
-review by Between Printed Pages
October 28, 2013
Golden Dunes of Renhala is a great sequel to Renhala. It picks up right where we left off and doesn't waste too much time in getting to the plot and action. Much of the action takes place in the Golden Dunes area, and Amy does a great job transporting the reader to this hot and barren section of Renhala. Kailey is developed even further in this book and it’s interesting to see this character grapple with a darker side. Overall, this book has a darker feel to it than the first, but it manages to keep some of its fun spunk. The minor characters serve this purpose well, and I will forever love Jenna.
The ending is a great surprise, and there are quite a few heart-wrenching scenes. This is definitely a must-read if you read the first book. And, if you haven’t, go read that one and then come back and read this one!
The ending is a great surprise, and there are quite a few heart-wrenching scenes. This is definitely a must-read if you read the first book. And, if you haven’t, go read that one and then come back and read this one!
March 10, 2014
Amy Joy has done it again! Great read. Engrossing plot, well developed characters, a happy union for our heroine, and an excellent twist at the end.
February 7, 2017
Golden Dunes of Renhala takes place 6 months after the events of Renhala, and during that time, Kailey has taken up the rather dubious trade of "karma for hire", aka catch-all mercenary. I enjoyed Renhala for what it was, but this installment seemed to lose the threads of the first book. Kailey's position as a karmelean, though she's no longer new to her powers, seems just as vague as ever. She doesn't have any purpose as this awesome tool of Karma, and that drove me a little crazy. I was expecting to dig deeper into her new-found skills, and instead nothing happened on that front. It was a bit disappointing to not be able to grow on the magic and the world presented in the first novel.
The story was still decent, but I was expecting a bit more from it. Combined with a fair amount of typos and grammatical issues, I just didn't enjoy this story as much as Renhala. There's potential there: the introduction of a new character that really interested me could have led to some awesome encounteres, I think, but he just showed up and disappeared again, without much to show for it.
So this story wasn't for me, but it's not bad all in all. If it sounds interesting to you, don't let my review put you off entirely.
[I received this book for free through First Reads and was not required to write a positive or any other type of review. All opinions stated herein are solely my own.]
The story was still decent, but I was expecting a bit more from it. Combined with a fair amount of typos and grammatical issues, I just didn't enjoy this story as much as Renhala. There's potential there: the introduction of a new character that really interested me could have led to some awesome encounteres, I think, but he just showed up and disappeared again, without much to show for it.
So this story wasn't for me, but it's not bad all in all. If it sounds interesting to you, don't let my review put you off entirely.
[I received this book for free through First Reads and was not required to write a positive or any other type of review. All opinions stated herein are solely my own.]
January 13, 2014
4*s
review posted here...
http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.co...
**SPOILERS FOR BOOK ONE (if you haven’t read it, don’t read this!!)**
In the Golden Dunes of Renhala live a community lead by a woman covered in snakes and her name is Eve, she is a powerful woman who owns a successful plantation and has everything she wants even a son, daughter & mate….. but she no longer has her daughter, for she is missing and she will do whatever it takes to bring her back home, even employ the Karmelean – Kailey Rourke. Kailey has spent the last year putting her karma skills to good use, a little karma for hire didn’t do anyone any harm right? Well that may be a different story when you also host sudo-abominor that is steadily chipping away at her control, making her dangerous and unpredictable. When she takes on Eve’s case, Kailey may not be strong enough to come out the other side but when she gets her claws into a good case, she is determined to let karma have its day.
I really enjoyed this sequel to Renhala and I appreciated that most of the book was set there. It was very easy to reconnect with the characters again, especially Kailey who I enjoyed reading of her coming out of her shell in the first book, in this she has more struggles with herself but in a different way. After being exposed to sudo-abominor she struggles to remain balanced, unpredictably becoming angry & enraged as she wrestles for control of her own body & mind… it was good to see this side of her but you could also feel how the bad the situation was getting and how it deteriorated throughout the book and I thought it made Kailey a more dangerous threat to people and in my opinion that wasn’t such a bad thing, I like a character that can kick butt! I liked how she stayed close to the friends she made in book one, it would have been so easy for her to crawl back into herself but she stayed strong. I was surprised she had started a relationship with one of the characters, it was nice to see her have a touch of love after losing so much but I felt the chemistry more with her other suitor.
I really liked the direction the storyline went, I think the karma-for-hire idea was great because not only will it bring mystery & intrigue with each case they take but it also opens up a lot of possibilities for stories and the opportunity to explore even more of Renhala and its inhabitants. The case they took on was very mysterious, not just the case itself but also the inhabitants of Golden Dunes and I was interested in their way of life & liked how the crops & such were explained…obviously there is a lot more going on than what I can say but they brought an interesting addition to the story and even though Kailey & the gang had been invited, they also came across as territorial…or was it because they had something to hide? It wasn’t hard to know that everything isn’t as it seems & whilst I thought I had the big mystery all worked- I hadn’t – so it definitely kept me on my toes right up until the end. I liked how the series plot developed too, following the end of book one, we had five major facts 1) Kailey’s mother dies 2) Kailey’s Father apparently dies 3) Kailey’s best friend is now pregnant with her half sibling 4) Kailey has a brother 5)Kailey is now hosting sudo-abominor , all are mentioned in the book and at least two of these facts will impact this story in a big way and it’s sooo good, leading to some pretty intense moments but leaving me very excited for next book.
review posted here...
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**SPOILERS FOR BOOK ONE (if you haven’t read it, don’t read this!!)**
In the Golden Dunes of Renhala live a community lead by a woman covered in snakes and her name is Eve, she is a powerful woman who owns a successful plantation and has everything she wants even a son, daughter & mate….. but she no longer has her daughter, for she is missing and she will do whatever it takes to bring her back home, even employ the Karmelean – Kailey Rourke. Kailey has spent the last year putting her karma skills to good use, a little karma for hire didn’t do anyone any harm right? Well that may be a different story when you also host sudo-abominor that is steadily chipping away at her control, making her dangerous and unpredictable. When she takes on Eve’s case, Kailey may not be strong enough to come out the other side but when she gets her claws into a good case, she is determined to let karma have its day.
I really enjoyed this sequel to Renhala and I appreciated that most of the book was set there. It was very easy to reconnect with the characters again, especially Kailey who I enjoyed reading of her coming out of her shell in the first book, in this she has more struggles with herself but in a different way. After being exposed to sudo-abominor she struggles to remain balanced, unpredictably becoming angry & enraged as she wrestles for control of her own body & mind… it was good to see this side of her but you could also feel how the bad the situation was getting and how it deteriorated throughout the book and I thought it made Kailey a more dangerous threat to people and in my opinion that wasn’t such a bad thing, I like a character that can kick butt! I liked how she stayed close to the friends she made in book one, it would have been so easy for her to crawl back into herself but she stayed strong. I was surprised she had started a relationship with one of the characters, it was nice to see her have a touch of love after losing so much but I felt the chemistry more with her other suitor.
I really liked the direction the storyline went, I think the karma-for-hire idea was great because not only will it bring mystery & intrigue with each case they take but it also opens up a lot of possibilities for stories and the opportunity to explore even more of Renhala and its inhabitants. The case they took on was very mysterious, not just the case itself but also the inhabitants of Golden Dunes and I was interested in their way of life & liked how the crops & such were explained…obviously there is a lot more going on than what I can say but they brought an interesting addition to the story and even though Kailey & the gang had been invited, they also came across as territorial…or was it because they had something to hide? It wasn’t hard to know that everything isn’t as it seems & whilst I thought I had the big mystery all worked- I hadn’t – so it definitely kept me on my toes right up until the end. I liked how the series plot developed too, following the end of book one, we had five major facts 1) Kailey’s mother dies 2) Kailey’s Father apparently dies 3) Kailey’s best friend is now pregnant with her half sibling 4) Kailey has a brother 5)Kailey is now hosting sudo-abominor , all are mentioned in the book and at least two of these facts will impact this story in a big way and it’s sooo good, leading to some pretty intense moments but leaving me very excited for next book.
December 1, 2013
Golden Dunes of Renhala is the second in the Renhala series by author Amy Joy Lutchen. After reading and loving Renhala, the first in the series, I was eager to get my hands on this follow up. Amy brought me right back to the magical world I love and I was so happy to be there.
We pick up pretty much right where Renhala left off and are immediately brought back into Kailey Rooke’s new reality. A reality of magical lands and creatures only one could dream of. Now, though, Kailey has an internal conflict brewing and it will threaten her very being. The darkness within her, a piece of her father, takes over a bit more each day and Kailey finds herself lashing out at her friends. Pair that with her abilities as a Quicksilver and a karmelean and letting the darkness take over completely would mean massive consequences…and not for the good. Currently on a mission to find a missing girl, Kailey and her rag-tag group of friends and accomplices find more mystery at every turn instead of getting closer to finding the missing beloved sister and daughter. Will she be able to find this girl while also finding the ability to keep the darkness at bay?
I flew through this book. When storytelling is done as rich as Golden Dunes of Renhala was, it makes the transportation into a fantasy world an easy one. I loved seeing all of our friends from Renhala again. The fight Kailey has on her hands is a tough one indeed and she needs those friends and their help along the way to keep her grounded and that’s exactly what they do. Kailey may have lost both of her parents in the last book, but she certainly isn’t lacking family with friends like these. Bu is back (I adore Bu!), Gunthreon, Lupa, Connor, Jenna and Ladimer are all there and the journey they embark upon into the Golden Dunes is going to test all of them at one point or another. The search for the missing girl opens up a can of worms far bigger than just a missing person. I can’t go into too much detail without giving away spoilers, but Kailey meets a person in this book that was a pretty big shock to her, and to me. A good shock in a way though and one that I hope can develop into a positive thing for both Kailey and the mystery person. Although there was a lot more darkness in this book compared to the last one, there were also some really heartwarming parts when Kailey feels her mother’s spirit around her. There were also some positively heartbreaking moments that had me reaching for my tissues.
Oh, and in the end, Kailey ends up with the guy I have wanted her with from the minute I met him in Renhala (nope! My lips are sealed!) Speaking of the end, WHOA! Totally taken by surprise at how Amy Joy ended it and I can only hope it means we get another book….because let me tell you, the delivery Kailey gets on her doorstep is a pretty shocking one!
Thank you, Amy Joy, for another rich and magical story filled with enchanted surroundings, fairy tale friendships and a mystery that kept me on the edge of my seat until the end!
January 26, 2014
All the way back in January, I was sent a copy of Renhala for review. I absolutely loved the book, and have been desperately waiting for Golden Dunes of Renhala to release ever since. And now that I have devoured this book rather eagerly (it took me less than 24 hours to read), I am so happy to report that this second book was most definitely worth the wait.
I’ve got to comment on the fact that Golden Dunes of Renhala is less than half the length of Renhala, but I put that down to the fact that the first book had to fit in a huge amount of world-building and establish a huge amount of characters, and we didn’t have to run through all of that for a second time. That left plenty of room for the action! And my, does this book have a lot of it! There was always something going on, which I loved. There was never a dull moment, especially with Kailey and her constant struggle against the evil that was desperately fighting to take over her body and destroy everything and everyone she loves and holds close to her.
Kailey’s struggle is really the focal point of Golden Dunes of Renhala. There are the two ‘contracts’ Kailey is hired for, where she basically uses all her Renhala skills to discover missing people and find out what really happened to them, and I thought their inclusion was interesting, but I was more drawn to finding out what was going to happen to Kailey next. And what bugged me greatly throughout the novel was the fact that Gunthreon, Ladimer and the rest of their gang were constantly telling Kailey to ‘control the evil inside her’, but didn’t seem to understand that she physically couldn’t and then acted all disappointed in Kailey when that evil slipped through the incredible defence Kailey had tried building up. There just didn’t seem to be any support for Kailey, and whilst I’m sure the characters didn’t mean for it to be that way, I was still a little upset in their lack of support towards her. (And yes, Connor, I’m looking at you, you charming heartbreaker.)
The tiny lack of support aside, I still adored all these characters in Golden Dunes of Renhala. They were still just as wonderful to read about in this book as they were the first time around, and I especially grew to love Bu once more. He was such a sweet, kind-hearted character, and I loved how loyal he remained toward Kailey, he got upset when her evil broke through, but he never turned his back on her once. Ladimer really grew on me in this book too, which I was surprised about, as he seemed to spend most of the book blowing hot and cold, but he eventually came around and I think the bond that he and Kailey have is hopefully going to blossom into something really special.
The only bad thing I have to say about Golden Dunes of Renhala is the fact that I’ve read it already and now I’m at a loss until I get book number three in my hands. This series is slowly growing as one of my favourites, and I cannot wait for the next instalment to be released.
I’ve got to comment on the fact that Golden Dunes of Renhala is less than half the length of Renhala, but I put that down to the fact that the first book had to fit in a huge amount of world-building and establish a huge amount of characters, and we didn’t have to run through all of that for a second time. That left plenty of room for the action! And my, does this book have a lot of it! There was always something going on, which I loved. There was never a dull moment, especially with Kailey and her constant struggle against the evil that was desperately fighting to take over her body and destroy everything and everyone she loves and holds close to her.
Kailey’s struggle is really the focal point of Golden Dunes of Renhala. There are the two ‘contracts’ Kailey is hired for, where she basically uses all her Renhala skills to discover missing people and find out what really happened to them, and I thought their inclusion was interesting, but I was more drawn to finding out what was going to happen to Kailey next. And what bugged me greatly throughout the novel was the fact that Gunthreon, Ladimer and the rest of their gang were constantly telling Kailey to ‘control the evil inside her’, but didn’t seem to understand that she physically couldn’t and then acted all disappointed in Kailey when that evil slipped through the incredible defence Kailey had tried building up. There just didn’t seem to be any support for Kailey, and whilst I’m sure the characters didn’t mean for it to be that way, I was still a little upset in their lack of support towards her. (And yes, Connor, I’m looking at you, you charming heartbreaker.)
The tiny lack of support aside, I still adored all these characters in Golden Dunes of Renhala. They were still just as wonderful to read about in this book as they were the first time around, and I especially grew to love Bu once more. He was such a sweet, kind-hearted character, and I loved how loyal he remained toward Kailey, he got upset when her evil broke through, but he never turned his back on her once. Ladimer really grew on me in this book too, which I was surprised about, as he seemed to spend most of the book blowing hot and cold, but he eventually came around and I think the bond that he and Kailey have is hopefully going to blossom into something really special.
The only bad thing I have to say about Golden Dunes of Renhala is the fact that I’ve read it already and now I’m at a loss until I get book number three in my hands. This series is slowly growing as one of my favourites, and I cannot wait for the next instalment to be released.
August 12, 2016
I must admit that I remember bits and pieces from the first one, but I don't remember everything. And this book does a fairly good job transitioning to the next story. That or maybe this series is like a tv series, you can jump into one without knowing the previous one and still enjoy it. Granted, I've read the first, and can't prove this theory firsthand (and I'd still tell you to read the first one).
Kailey, after the first book, kind of has a split personality with a thing called Sudo-Abominor inside of her. She's a happy willing-to-help woman who suddenly has something evil wanting to destroy everything living inside of her. And we get to see a lot of random split personality moments which kind of sort of makes me feel normal (granted I don't have an evil thing inside of me, I just fight over my own evilness). Anyways, let's move onto the story.
After finding out who she is, a karmelean, Kailey is has become a private investigator/mercenary for hire in Renhala. She's got her good friends: Lupa, Gunthreon, Jenna, Ladimer, and Connor to help her with her quests. A contract brings her to the Golden Dunes where we meet Madame Eve: a lady with snakes slithering around her that do her bidding and protect her from harm. While hired to find Madame Eve's daughter, she finds out nothing is as easy as it seems nor do people tend to be upfront with the truth. It's a mystery that she won't be able to figure out without her friends, but she'll certainly try to do everything on her own.
This is a fantasy that's one-of-a-kind and fun to get lost in. My only complaint is I feel like this is a story that happens as you go, it doesn't set the backstory up so the reader can try to figure out how it ends. Don't get me wrong, you can still guess, but bits and pieces get revealed as they occur in the story instead of alluding to them (or it was all over my head and I missed it if it was there).
It's a fun series filled with fantasy set in a world that hasn't been done before. It's like a fantasy tv series, only in book format (this is the only way I can describe it in non-bookish terms). And what would make it even cooler is a map of Renhala and glossary of terms.
Kailey, after the first book, kind of has a split personality with a thing called Sudo-Abominor inside of her. She's a happy willing-to-help woman who suddenly has something evil wanting to destroy everything living inside of her. And we get to see a lot of random split personality moments which kind of sort of makes me feel normal (granted I don't have an evil thing inside of me, I just fight over my own evilness). Anyways, let's move onto the story.
After finding out who she is, a karmelean, Kailey is has become a private investigator/mercenary for hire in Renhala. She's got her good friends: Lupa, Gunthreon, Jenna, Ladimer, and Connor to help her with her quests. A contract brings her to the Golden Dunes where we meet Madame Eve: a lady with snakes slithering around her that do her bidding and protect her from harm. While hired to find Madame Eve's daughter, she finds out nothing is as easy as it seems nor do people tend to be upfront with the truth. It's a mystery that she won't be able to figure out without her friends, but she'll certainly try to do everything on her own.
This is a fantasy that's one-of-a-kind and fun to get lost in. My only complaint is I feel like this is a story that happens as you go, it doesn't set the backstory up so the reader can try to figure out how it ends. Don't get me wrong, you can still guess, but bits and pieces get revealed as they occur in the story instead of alluding to them (or it was all over my head and I missed it if it was there).
It's a fun series filled with fantasy set in a world that hasn't been done before. It's like a fantasy tv series, only in book format (this is the only way I can describe it in non-bookish terms). And what would make it even cooler is a map of Renhala and glossary of terms.
November 28, 2013
Review amended from full review at PenandMuse.com
If you recall my review of the opening to the series, it reminded me that I needed to read more urban fantasy. As my to read list has gotten out of hand, I haven’t had the time to read much more – until I found myself back into the world of Renhala. As it’s been six months since I read the first book, I was a little concerned but quickly discovered that it was an easy opener. While the book isn’t a stand alone, you can quickly catch yourself up if it’s been awhile since you’ve read the first. If you’ve read the first recently, don’t worry! The refreshers are subtle enough that you won’t feel as if you’re being bogged down with backstory.
I’m extra critical of the second book in a series, because often they seem to slump (even if it’s just a little). Not the case here. The Golden Dunes of Renhala revved up the action, while increasing the intensity and complexity. We’re seeing directly inside Kailey’s head, as her life becomes more chaotic and hard to manage. I found the book hard to put down – switching from Kindle to phone so I could read it over the stove as I cooked, only putting it down when bacon threatened to splatter it. It’s easy to get lost in Renhala, especially with the vivid world-building. New creatures. New lands.
This visit to Renhala is full of adventure, swoons, shocks…and some deeper darkness than the first book. There’s a gritty realism to this fantasy.
Did I mention there are swoons?
The ending? Nearly knocked me off my stool. I think I’m starting to realize that I need to read Renhala books while safely tucked in a big cozy chair. Something which I can’t fall out of. With no mirrors nearby to see my jaw drop in.
I immediately wanted another book in the series as soon as I put The Golden Dunes of Renhala down. Immediately.
If you recall my review of the opening to the series, it reminded me that I needed to read more urban fantasy. As my to read list has gotten out of hand, I haven’t had the time to read much more – until I found myself back into the world of Renhala. As it’s been six months since I read the first book, I was a little concerned but quickly discovered that it was an easy opener. While the book isn’t a stand alone, you can quickly catch yourself up if it’s been awhile since you’ve read the first. If you’ve read the first recently, don’t worry! The refreshers are subtle enough that you won’t feel as if you’re being bogged down with backstory.
I’m extra critical of the second book in a series, because often they seem to slump (even if it’s just a little). Not the case here. The Golden Dunes of Renhala revved up the action, while increasing the intensity and complexity. We’re seeing directly inside Kailey’s head, as her life becomes more chaotic and hard to manage. I found the book hard to put down – switching from Kindle to phone so I could read it over the stove as I cooked, only putting it down when bacon threatened to splatter it. It’s easy to get lost in Renhala, especially with the vivid world-building. New creatures. New lands.
This visit to Renhala is full of adventure, swoons, shocks…and some deeper darkness than the first book. There’s a gritty realism to this fantasy.
Did I mention there are swoons?
The ending? Nearly knocked me off my stool. I think I’m starting to realize that I need to read Renhala books while safely tucked in a big cozy chair. Something which I can’t fall out of. With no mirrors nearby to see my jaw drop in.
I immediately wanted another book in the series as soon as I put The Golden Dunes of Renhala down. Immediately.
December 11, 2013
Wow... I mean wow... Amy, again, the world building is just out of this world... literally. I love the world that the author builds for this series. The Golden Dunes... I mean, I felt like I was sweating and wiping sand away from my skin while I was reading. Love, love, love that about this series. Everything is so vivid but not the point where it's over-described. There's plenty of room for you to add to it in your mind while you're reading.
The characters - They're great. I loved seeing the "problem" side of Kailey come out so much in this novel. I have to admit, her talents still are hard for me to imagine in my mind but I just have to go with it because it's awesome. Her "feeler" - I have a hard time picturing that when she's constantly sending her feeler out. Ooh and the men... I love Ladimer... You honestly don't seem to see Connor much. Or maybe it was because I couldn't wait until Ladimer graced the pages again so I wasn't paying attention to Connor.... LOL
I really enjoyed the new characters and the investigation that they were trying to work though. There were a few flips in the plot that I didn't quite follow (one person whom I thought dead was not and the other sibling was...) but I'm thinking that I may have just been too sleepy to keep up. Ha.
Overall, great continuation to series. I think I may have liked this one a little bit more because it was just...awesome. Bu! Love him!!! I just want to get a nose plug and give him a big hug!
The characters - They're great. I loved seeing the "problem" side of Kailey come out so much in this novel. I have to admit, her talents still are hard for me to imagine in my mind but I just have to go with it because it's awesome. Her "feeler" - I have a hard time picturing that when she's constantly sending her feeler out. Ooh and the men... I love Ladimer... You honestly don't seem to see Connor much. Or maybe it was because I couldn't wait until Ladimer graced the pages again so I wasn't paying attention to Connor.... LOL
I really enjoyed the new characters and the investigation that they were trying to work though. There were a few flips in the plot that I didn't quite follow (one person whom I thought dead was not and the other sibling was...) but I'm thinking that I may have just been too sleepy to keep up. Ha.
Overall, great continuation to series. I think I may have liked this one a little bit more because it was just...awesome. Bu! Love him!!! I just want to get a nose plug and give him a big hug!
May 16, 2014
Well, it took me a while to finally ready and I must say that Golden Dunes was so confusing for me. I had a really hard time visualizing the scenes and trying to understand what was going on! (and I'm still not sure of what happened)
It bothers me, because book one was SO. GOOD. I was dying to read the second, but I really didn't get it. There was time that I read and read and then I looked around and (I usually read in boring classes at college) said to the nearest person "I don't get it. I'm reading but I don't understand."
It seemed to me that Amy was so eager to write and have it done so people would read it, because we wanted to read it so badly, that I don't think she had time to think it through, give it another look. I don't know, I'm sorry Amy, if I'm being silly, it's just what I felt. And I really, really wanted to understand and like it, because - again - the first book is so good! But everything felt rushed and confusing and the relationships felt weird and I didn't get it.
I think I said I didn't get it quite a few times. Because it bothered me.
I'm sorry, Amy :( And I want to continue on reading what you write, because you have such incredible ideas! (I could never ever imagine a world like Renhala, that was amazing!)
It bothers me, because book one was SO. GOOD. I was dying to read the second, but I really didn't get it. There was time that I read and read and then I looked around and (I usually read in boring classes at college) said to the nearest person "I don't get it. I'm reading but I don't understand."
It seemed to me that Amy was so eager to write and have it done so people would read it, because we wanted to read it so badly, that I don't think she had time to think it through, give it another look. I don't know, I'm sorry Amy, if I'm being silly, it's just what I felt. And I really, really wanted to understand and like it, because - again - the first book is so good! But everything felt rushed and confusing and the relationships felt weird and I didn't get it.
I think I said I didn't get it quite a few times. Because it bothered me.
I'm sorry, Amy :( And I want to continue on reading what you write, because you have such incredible ideas! (I could never ever imagine a world like Renhala, that was amazing!)
May 17, 2014
Golden Dunes of Renhala was a enjoyable sequel in this unique paranormal/fantasy series. In this book, Kailey struggles to deal with the curse of sudo-abominor that had turned her father evil and now resides within her. As she fights the darkness within, Kailey uses her gifts with the help of her friends to do good in the world of Renhala.
The characters especially are what make the book from the lovable innocent Bu and the fiesty woodsprite Jenna to the quirky, creepy new characters. Each of the characters added something to the story making Renhala a humorous fantasy adventurous read. I must say too that for some reason I love a series in which the main character's pet has a part of in the story. Kioto, Kailey's loyal Akita, is able to travel to Renhala in order to protect her owner and I think she adds greatly to the story.
The characters especially are what make the book from the lovable innocent Bu and the fiesty woodsprite Jenna to the quirky, creepy new characters. Each of the characters added something to the story making Renhala a humorous fantasy adventurous read. I must say too that for some reason I love a series in which the main character's pet has a part of in the story. Kioto, Kailey's loyal Akita, is able to travel to Renhala in order to protect her owner and I think she adds greatly to the story.
July 23, 2016
This book is the second of a series, and I recommend reading Renhala first, or the world-setting will not make much sense. Much of the character development was done in the first book also, and I'm happy to report this book picks up from the first, rather than re-hashing background. There was a little confusion where the characters travel instantly from place to place, and I had to go back and skim portions of Renhala to recall some of the things that happened prior, so I recommend having read Renhala recently or having it close at hand for reference. Good story! I enjoy the writer's style.
December 28, 2013
I was really looking forward to this after reading the first book. I have to say, I was NOT disappointed! It's a wonderful story. I loved how you got more in tune with the characters. The story flowed brilliantly. I love Amy's writing. She constructs a world you can believe in, despite being fantasy, characters you gel to. Her books pack a mighty story of epic proportions. Action and character play is engrained. The plot rocks! I'd love a day in her head, it would be one hell of a ride!!!
I was given this book as a gift and it was the best gift i've received in a very very long time!
I was given this book as a gift and it was the best gift i've received in a very very long time!
March 11, 2014
Despite my lower rating I read both of the Renhala books. They were very interesting and kept me reading to see where the story would take me. I rated it lower on personal preference; mainly language and a some adult themes.
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