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Ashes of a Shattered Soul
Fated mate is killed.
Eons of pain.
Rage-fueled destruction of planets.
Memory burned away. Identity gone.
And then… he comes back — reincarnated into two men born fifty years apart on a world that shouldn’t even know her name.
Immortal duty. Shattered love. An unbroken will that refuses to die.
Featuring a foul-mouthed immortal disaster who’s tired of saving worlds, a cinnamon-roll commander she absolutely shouldn’t bang, and the monster villain she maybe already did… in another lifetime.
Love triangle? More like emotional arson.
Ashes of a Shattered Soul delivers a sweeping dark romantasy of cosmic heartbreak, devouring rage, and redemption carved from pain.
Eons of pain.
Rage-fueled destruction of planets.
Memory burned away. Identity gone.
And then… he comes back — reincarnated into two men born fifty years apart on a world that shouldn’t even know her name.
Immortal duty. Shattered love. An unbroken will that refuses to die.
Featuring a foul-mouthed immortal disaster who’s tired of saving worlds, a cinnamon-roll commander she absolutely shouldn’t bang, and the monster villain she maybe already did… in another lifetime.
Love triangle? More like emotional arson.
Ashes of a Shattered Soul delivers a sweeping dark romantasy of cosmic heartbreak, devouring rage, and redemption carved from pain.
581 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 26, 2026
34 people are currently reading
250 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews
December 25, 2025
Usually I do not go for Romantasy stand alone novels because I always feel like it’s always a rush to wrap things up at the end. I did not feel this way with this one. The plot steadily was constantly moving toward the end goal which made this a well rounded story. I also felt this was a very good balance between plot and romance, like the romance was very well contributing to the plot in a way. Another thing I enjoyed about this story was that the overall feel of the world was very much fantasy/sci fi/dystopian all rolled into one which I think is something at really sets this book apart from others in my head. Overall I thought this was a well done debut novel.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received this book as an ARC review and I am SO glad I did!!! Perne builds an incredible world building on with each step in the story.
The characters are each so very unique and quirky in their own way. The chemistry? Oh, you just wait until you meet Rynna, Fen and Kae.
If you like enemies to lovers, read this.
Forced proximity, go ahead and grab this.
Sssharp tongued hottie with all the moves, oh yeah.
Brooding, bonding, falling in love. On repeat, Literally.
Once I got to the "ohh" point in the book, when it hit me in the feels all I wanted to do was reach thru my kindle app and hug Rynna. This is definitely one of those books that will pull at your heart strings while making you blush a page later. Absolute gem of a read!
The characters are each so very unique and quirky in their own way. The chemistry? Oh, you just wait until you meet Rynna, Fen and Kae.
If you like enemies to lovers, read this.
Forced proximity, go ahead and grab this.
Sssharp tongued hottie with all the moves, oh yeah.
Brooding, bonding, falling in love. On repeat, Literally.
Once I got to the "ohh" point in the book, when it hit me in the feels all I wanted to do was reach thru my kindle app and hug Rynna. This is definitely one of those books that will pull at your heart strings while making you blush a page later. Absolute gem of a read!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Ashes of a Shattered Soul was my second ARC, and I absolutely loved it. The fantasy world pulled me in immediately, and Rynna is such a badass FMC; I couldn’t get enough of her strength and resilience. The why-choose dynamic with Fenn and Kaelith, both deliciously morally grey, added so much tension and depth to the story. I’m really hoping this isn’t the end for them, because I’m not ready to say goodbye to Fenn, Kaelith, and Rynna yet. I’ll be eagerly waiting for a sequel.
December 29, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Ashes of a Shattered Soul by Alisa Perne
I need to start this by saying: I do not read dark romance. It’s just never been my genre.
And yet… this book completely blindsided me.
Ashes of a Shattered Soul is dark, yes but more than that, it’s raw, emotional, and painfully human. This story isn’t built on shock value or romance for romance’s sake. It’s about grief, rage, survival, and what happens when someone who is already broken is forced to keep going anyway.The FMC felt real in a way that’s hard to explain without spoiling anything. She’s not polished or instantly likable she’s fractured, angry, and carrying more weight than anyone should. Watching her navigate a world filled with magic that feels more cursed than beautiful was one of the most compelling parts of the book. The fantasy elements are dark and atmospheric, adding to the constant sense of tension and unease.The romance is slow, intense, and earned. It simmers beneath the surface, tangled up with pain and trust issues, and never once felt forced. Every interaction mattered. Every moment carried emotional weight. This isn’t a light or fluffy love story it’s one built in the ashes of trauma and choice.What surprised me most was how emotionally heavy this book is. It doesn’t rush healing or pretend love fixes everything. The writing allows space for anger, grief, and messy survival, which made the story hit harder and feel more authentic.
If you enjoy:
• Dark romantasy with emotional depth
• Morally gray characters
• Slow-burn romance that actually hurts
• Gothic, moody atmospheres
• Stories about broken people finding strength
…this book is absolutely worth your time.
Thank you to Alisa Perne for allowing me to read this early. It was an honor, and I’m genuinely glad I stepped outside my comfort zone for this one. Please go support this author this story deserves to be read and talked about.This book doesn’t try to be comfortable. It dares you to feel.
Ashes of a Shattered Soul by Alisa Perne
I need to start this by saying: I do not read dark romance. It’s just never been my genre.
And yet… this book completely blindsided me.
Ashes of a Shattered Soul is dark, yes but more than that, it’s raw, emotional, and painfully human. This story isn’t built on shock value or romance for romance’s sake. It’s about grief, rage, survival, and what happens when someone who is already broken is forced to keep going anyway.The FMC felt real in a way that’s hard to explain without spoiling anything. She’s not polished or instantly likable she’s fractured, angry, and carrying more weight than anyone should. Watching her navigate a world filled with magic that feels more cursed than beautiful was one of the most compelling parts of the book. The fantasy elements are dark and atmospheric, adding to the constant sense of tension and unease.The romance is slow, intense, and earned. It simmers beneath the surface, tangled up with pain and trust issues, and never once felt forced. Every interaction mattered. Every moment carried emotional weight. This isn’t a light or fluffy love story it’s one built in the ashes of trauma and choice.What surprised me most was how emotionally heavy this book is. It doesn’t rush healing or pretend love fixes everything. The writing allows space for anger, grief, and messy survival, which made the story hit harder and feel more authentic.
If you enjoy:
• Dark romantasy with emotional depth
• Morally gray characters
• Slow-burn romance that actually hurts
• Gothic, moody atmospheres
• Stories about broken people finding strength
…this book is absolutely worth your time.
Thank you to Alisa Perne for allowing me to read this early. It was an honor, and I’m genuinely glad I stepped outside my comfort zone for this one. Please go support this author this story deserves to be read and talked about.This book doesn’t try to be comfortable. It dares you to feel.
Review of advance copy received from Author
DNF at 30%.
No one's more disappointed than me by this rating. Ashes of a Shattered Soul was one of my most anticipated arcs. Before starting this series, I actually had two other arcs lined up, but I chose this one first because the trope intrigued me. The author teased: what if your fated mate was killed and his soul divided into two?
From that premise, I expected a romance unlike any other, I mean full of angst, moral dilemmas, and heartbreaking searching for love. It’s been a long time since I read reverse harem or even menage, so imagine my disappointment when this book failed to pull me back into the Rh community *cries*.
While the writing itself is undoubtedly beautiful, the prologue was confusing. It blended fantasy and sci-fi elements without any prior warning. As far as I remember, the author never mentioned sci-fi anywhere in the form or trope map. I felt tricked. I signed up for this knowing it was marketed as romantasy. I did NOT want a space adventure.
The magic system is also confusing. The glossary did little to help me understand the world, ANDDD what world? I genuinely can’t tell you anything about it!!!
We have Rynna, a dragon shifter with an asshole father. He sends her on a suicide mission, where she ends up captured, tortured, and exploited for her magic. Her fated mate is killed, and she feels it when their bond is destroyed.
How? Only the Weaving knows.
Then she’s thrown into another world: alive, confused, and free.
How? Only the Weaving knows.
She meets Kaelith in this new world, a snake shifter with purple eyes and a mouth that just won’t shut up. The way Kaelith constantly calls her "woman" annoyed the hell out of me. I don’t know if this is meant to be teasing in Western culture (I’m Asian), but I really didn’t like it. Nicknames can be cute, but "woman this, woman that" was just ... No??? Still, I tried to ignote it because he’s clearly written as the kind of character who knows he’s attractive and uses it as a weapon. I thought, okay! maybe this is my golden retriever MMC.
But then chapter after chapter passed, and we learned NOTHING about him.
What was he doing before he met Rynna?Who was he besides an orphan? Where did he live previously?
Only the Weaving knows.
What could have been a cute meet-cute quickly faded when the author randomly threw in a two week time skip. There’s a one bed trope, but no, we don’t even get the first night moment (and yes, I'm screaming internally). Suddenly, they’re comfortable with each other, flirting like Romeo and Juliet, and casually doing jobs in a village they never bother questioning despite it somehow surviving in the middle of a "war".
What war, you ask? Only the Weaving knows.
I will admit, the smut was good. My jaw literally dropped when Rynna claimed Kaeliyh with teeth and blood. It was messy, like hohoho ferally messy. One of the hottest bonding scenes I’ve ever read. That is, until I realized that by doing this, Kaelith’s life is now tied to hers. If she dies, he dies too. You’d think she would tell him that. Nope.
Why didn’t Rynna tell him? Only the Weaving knows.
Battle is coming. Swords flying. Fire burning.
Who’s the enemy? Only the Weaving knows.
There’s no explanation. No buildup. Suddenly, a mysterious being shows up and says, oh no, don’t kill Rynna and Kaelith, they’ll be useful! Then they go to war. And ofc they win because they're main characters.
And guess what? Time skip, two years later.
I have no words. I squinted my way through pages of battle scenes, completely clueless about the motive, only for it to end like THAT?
To make things even more complicated, the Weaving, whatever the hell it is, suddenly decides that Rynna’s job in this unnamed world is done. Her memory is erased. She vanishes, travels to the past, meets the Four Horsemen, kills humans, burns a village, and hooks up with the personification of Death.
Why? Only the Weaving knows.
Look, I’m no stranger to morally grey characters. But you can’t expect me to root for anyone when I don’t even understand their reasoning. It’s not even a case of "oh, lalala they’re just evil!" These characters literally just show up with ZERO background.
Whatever. Angway, the flashback ends.
And then, surprise!, another time skip. This time, FIFTY years later.
At this point, I was already sighing because what the hell am I even reading? I knew this book was heading straight for my DNF pile when the words started blurring together, bcs now Rynna is in another world. She’s already in a new place, with new people, and there’s still no proper introduction.
WHAT???
There, she meets Fenn, a mysterious stranger with a half blind eyewhich could have been interesting. A mentor figure with a disability? Yes yes, gimme! Except Rynna decided to fucks him within minutes of meeting him. That’s not banter. That’s just the worst foreplay I’ve ever read???
I stupidly thought there would be explanations later, but it feels like the author wanted readers to just vibe with Rynna and go along for the ride. On top of that, there are typos from the early pages. I usually don’t care about typos, you’ll almost never see me criticize that in my reviews. My English is average at best, and I still struggle with tense sometimes. So if I notice them, that says a lot.
By chapter 19, I had to quit. I realized I didn’t understand anything, not the magic system, not the relationships, not Rynna’s motivation. I don’t understand her captivity, her father, or why any of this matters. Kaelith is also gone. There was nothing left to hold my attention.
I might have pushed through if this book were around 400 pages, which is already standard for romantasy. But at over 700 pages? I’m sorry, I don’t have the patience or the time to solve this puzzle.
No one's more disappointed than me by this rating. Ashes of a Shattered Soul was one of my most anticipated arcs. Before starting this series, I actually had two other arcs lined up, but I chose this one first because the trope intrigued me. The author teased: what if your fated mate was killed and his soul divided into two?
From that premise, I expected a romance unlike any other, I mean full of angst, moral dilemmas, and heartbreaking searching for love. It’s been a long time since I read reverse harem or even menage, so imagine my disappointment when this book failed to pull me back into the Rh community *cries*.
While the writing itself is undoubtedly beautiful, the prologue was confusing. It blended fantasy and sci-fi elements without any prior warning. As far as I remember, the author never mentioned sci-fi anywhere in the form or trope map. I felt tricked. I signed up for this knowing it was marketed as romantasy. I did NOT want a space adventure.
The magic system is also confusing. The glossary did little to help me understand the world, ANDDD what world? I genuinely can’t tell you anything about it!!!
We have Rynna, a dragon shifter with an asshole father. He sends her on a suicide mission, where she ends up captured, tortured, and exploited for her magic. Her fated mate is killed, and she feels it when their bond is destroyed.
How? Only the Weaving knows.
Then she’s thrown into another world: alive, confused, and free.
How? Only the Weaving knows.
She meets Kaelith in this new world, a snake shifter with purple eyes and a mouth that just won’t shut up. The way Kaelith constantly calls her "woman" annoyed the hell out of me. I don’t know if this is meant to be teasing in Western culture (I’m Asian), but I really didn’t like it. Nicknames can be cute, but "woman this, woman that" was just ... No??? Still, I tried to ignote it because he’s clearly written as the kind of character who knows he’s attractive and uses it as a weapon. I thought, okay! maybe this is my golden retriever MMC.
But then chapter after chapter passed, and we learned NOTHING about him.
What was he doing before he met Rynna?Who was he besides an orphan? Where did he live previously?
Only the Weaving knows.
What could have been a cute meet-cute quickly faded when the author randomly threw in a two week time skip. There’s a one bed trope, but no, we don’t even get the first night moment (and yes, I'm screaming internally). Suddenly, they’re comfortable with each other, flirting like Romeo and Juliet, and casually doing jobs in a village they never bother questioning despite it somehow surviving in the middle of a "war".
What war, you ask? Only the Weaving knows.
I will admit, the smut was good. My jaw literally dropped when Rynna claimed Kaeliyh with teeth and blood. It was messy, like hohoho ferally messy. One of the hottest bonding scenes I’ve ever read. That is, until I realized that by doing this, Kaelith’s life is now tied to hers. If she dies, he dies too. You’d think she would tell him that. Nope.
Why didn’t Rynna tell him? Only the Weaving knows.
Battle is coming. Swords flying. Fire burning.
Who’s the enemy? Only the Weaving knows.
There’s no explanation. No buildup. Suddenly, a mysterious being shows up and says, oh no, don’t kill Rynna and Kaelith, they’ll be useful! Then they go to war. And ofc they win because they're main characters.
And guess what? Time skip, two years later.
I have no words. I squinted my way through pages of battle scenes, completely clueless about the motive, only for it to end like THAT?
To make things even more complicated, the Weaving, whatever the hell it is, suddenly decides that Rynna’s job in this unnamed world is done. Her memory is erased. She vanishes, travels to the past, meets the Four Horsemen, kills humans, burns a village, and hooks up with the personification of Death.
Why? Only the Weaving knows.
Look, I’m no stranger to morally grey characters. But you can’t expect me to root for anyone when I don’t even understand their reasoning. It’s not even a case of "oh, lalala they’re just evil!" These characters literally just show up with ZERO background.
Whatever. Angway, the flashback ends.
And then, surprise!, another time skip. This time, FIFTY years later.
At this point, I was already sighing because what the hell am I even reading? I knew this book was heading straight for my DNF pile when the words started blurring together, bcs now Rynna is in another world. She’s already in a new place, with new people, and there’s still no proper introduction.
WHAT???
There, she meets Fenn, a mysterious stranger with a half blind eyewhich could have been interesting. A mentor figure with a disability? Yes yes, gimme! Except Rynna decided to fucks him within minutes of meeting him. That’s not banter. That’s just the worst foreplay I’ve ever read???
I stupidly thought there would be explanations later, but it feels like the author wanted readers to just vibe with Rynna and go along for the ride. On top of that, there are typos from the early pages. I usually don’t care about typos, you’ll almost never see me criticize that in my reviews. My English is average at best, and I still struggle with tense sometimes. So if I notice them, that says a lot.
By chapter 19, I had to quit. I realized I didn’t understand anything, not the magic system, not the relationships, not Rynna’s motivation. I don’t understand her captivity, her father, or why any of this matters. Kaelith is also gone. There was nothing left to hold my attention.
I might have pushed through if this book were around 400 pages, which is already standard for romantasy. But at over 700 pages? I’m sorry, I don’t have the patience or the time to solve this puzzle.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book grabbed my heart, set it on fire, hurled it into the cosmos, and then had the audacity to hand it back to me scarred, soot stained, and grateful.
The grief? Devastatingly beautiful. The rage? World ending and earned. The survival? Written with such care and intensity that you feel every scar, every choice, every moment she refuses to break.
This is dark, atmospheric romantasy at its finest. Heavy with loss, steeped in fury, and humming with immortal exhaustion.
And let’s talk about the tension because GIRL. CAN. WRITE. SPICE. The slow burn, the ache, the buildup that has you screaming internally before the payoff lands exactly where it should. No wasted heat. No empty scenes. Just perfectly earned, emotionally loaded moments that hit hard.
The reincarnation twist? Inspired. Two men, one shattered soul, lifetimes of love and loss colliding into pure emotional arson. Love triangle? Please. This is a controlled burn that absolutely gets out of hand.
Bonus points for a foul mouthed immortal disaster who is so tired, a cinnamon roll commander I would protect with my life (and also absolutely understand why she shouldn’t touch), and a villain that makes you go “…okay but hear me out.”
The ending is deeply satisfying for a standalone, which I appreciate, but I am also clutching my chest, staring into the distance, wishing there was more.
I cannot wait to see what this author does next because if this is the bar? I’m here for it!
The grief? Devastatingly beautiful. The rage? World ending and earned. The survival? Written with such care and intensity that you feel every scar, every choice, every moment she refuses to break.
This is dark, atmospheric romantasy at its finest. Heavy with loss, steeped in fury, and humming with immortal exhaustion.
And let’s talk about the tension because GIRL. CAN. WRITE. SPICE. The slow burn, the ache, the buildup that has you screaming internally before the payoff lands exactly where it should. No wasted heat. No empty scenes. Just perfectly earned, emotionally loaded moments that hit hard.
The reincarnation twist? Inspired. Two men, one shattered soul, lifetimes of love and loss colliding into pure emotional arson. Love triangle? Please. This is a controlled burn that absolutely gets out of hand.
Bonus points for a foul mouthed immortal disaster who is so tired, a cinnamon roll commander I would protect with my life (and also absolutely understand why she shouldn’t touch), and a villain that makes you go “…okay but hear me out.”
The ending is deeply satisfying for a standalone, which I appreciate, but I am also clutching my chest, staring into the distance, wishing there was more.
I cannot wait to see what this author does next because if this is the bar? I’m here for it!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I have read a few arcs before this one. I had a little bit of diffuse getting into it but once I did I found it very interesting! Rynna is a baddie fmc which I love! This is a why choose, which i am always down for. I was a bit worried because I was a little confused at the beginning but I kept reading and once I got the basic information it was smooth sailing.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I am absolutely blown away by this book. I was really hesitant about starting this because the synopsis didn't really describe much, but man was this fantastic. Despite how much I dislike time jumps, they were done so well in this book that I was looking forward to see how everything was going to come together.
Rynna is the equivalent of a mercenary sent by fate to alter the course of life and death at the end of the world. She doesn't retain her memories every time she is sent to a new world, just vague ideas that it has happened before. After appearing in a new world, she finds herself taking care of a dying man after making the mistake of helping him out. Their banter is top notch and I loved seeing the snark get stronger and stronger as Rynna and Kae continued to pretend like there wasn't something happening between them. When Fenn is introduced to the mix, the dry humor just continued to get better.
There were so many twists and turns in this book I really had no idea how everything was going to connect. There was so much thought and planning that went in to all the time jumps and interpersonal connections. This honestly was such a joy to read because I have never read anything like it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Alisa Perne for the free eARC.
Rynna is the equivalent of a mercenary sent by fate to alter the course of life and death at the end of the world. She doesn't retain her memories every time she is sent to a new world, just vague ideas that it has happened before. After appearing in a new world, she finds herself taking care of a dying man after making the mistake of helping him out. Their banter is top notch and I loved seeing the snark get stronger and stronger as Rynna and Kae continued to pretend like there wasn't something happening between them. When Fenn is introduced to the mix, the dry humor just continued to get better.
There were so many twists and turns in this book I really had no idea how everything was going to connect. There was so much thought and planning that went in to all the time jumps and interpersonal connections. This honestly was such a joy to read because I have never read anything like it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Alisa Perne for the free eARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The writing is all over the place. The characters are dull and I am completely confused. I expected a dark fantasy/dark romance book, but even the prologue was more sci-fi than I would have liked.
I am not really interested how Rynna goes on from Chapter Four forward.
More than 1 star can't be given from me.
I am not really interested how Rynna goes on from Chapter Four forward.
More than 1 star can't be given from me.
February 22, 2026
Wow! When I went into this spicy epic fantasy I had NO idea what I was getting myself into! And in a GOOD way! AMAZING! I can hardly even know where to start!
When you first dive into this book, all sorts of crazy stuff is going on but just go with it. This is one of those books that the further into the book you get, the more you start to understand (and you WILL start to understand) and man I love those types of books! There's SO much adventure in this book! You have dragon shifting, wolf shifting (therefore knotting 😂), snake shifting (naughty snakes) AND vampires! But wait there's MORE! There's zombie hordes too! To top all THAT off you have some super kinky spice and a why choose romance that's so sweet. These two men won't make her choose because no matter what, they want her. And boy do they want her! It's a love that spans millenia...like literally.
Rynna is our main hero in this story and she has one mission but has to complete this mission across many worlds or the entire universe is doomed. She's so badass so of course she kicks Wraith ass (the entity that constantly chases her) and kicks many more asses as well!
｡ﾟ♡ﾟ･☆･ﾟ♡ﾟ｡｡ﾟ♡ﾟ･☆･ﾟ♡ﾟ｡｡ﾟ♡ﾟ･☆･ﾟ♡ﾟ｡
Favorite Parts:
🐉Rynna's shifting capabilites (guys! she's the dragon!)
🐍How Kae likes to use his snakes (no for real he can shift into one and he can create more) to pleasure Rynna...phew that gets pretty hot
😏The banter and the wittiness
🏠Each time Rynna creates a place for herself on each world even though sadly it always comes to an end
✨TROPES✨
❤️🔥Fated mates
🥰Found family
🤬Feminine rage
🪄Magical sci-fi realm
🐉Romantasy
Thank you so much to Hype Queen PR and author Alisa Perne for the gift of this amazing book in exchange for my honest review!
When you first dive into this book, all sorts of crazy stuff is going on but just go with it. This is one of those books that the further into the book you get, the more you start to understand (and you WILL start to understand) and man I love those types of books! There's SO much adventure in this book! You have dragon shifting, wolf shifting (therefore knotting 😂), snake shifting (naughty snakes) AND vampires! But wait there's MORE! There's zombie hordes too! To top all THAT off you have some super kinky spice and a why choose romance that's so sweet. These two men won't make her choose because no matter what, they want her. And boy do they want her! It's a love that spans millenia...like literally.
Rynna is our main hero in this story and she has one mission but has to complete this mission across many worlds or the entire universe is doomed. She's so badass so of course she kicks Wraith ass (the entity that constantly chases her) and kicks many more asses as well!
｡ﾟ♡ﾟ･☆･ﾟ♡ﾟ｡｡ﾟ♡ﾟ･☆･ﾟ♡ﾟ｡｡ﾟ♡ﾟ･☆･ﾟ♡ﾟ｡
Favorite Parts:
🐉Rynna's shifting capabilites (guys! she's the dragon!)
🐍How Kae likes to use his snakes (no for real he can shift into one and he can create more) to pleasure Rynna...phew that gets pretty hot
😏The banter and the wittiness
🏠Each time Rynna creates a place for herself on each world even though sadly it always comes to an end
✨TROPES✨
❤️🔥Fated mates
🥰Found family
🤬Feminine rage
🪄Magical sci-fi realm
🐉Romantasy
Thank you so much to Hype Queen PR and author Alisa Perne for the gift of this amazing book in exchange for my honest review!
February 1, 2026
Wow! What a crazy ride! Love the originality in this fantasy! So different and a very individual type of book!! Would definitely recommend 🥰 slow start and I was a little confused but don’t give in, it does make sense later on and oeuvres together so well!
2026-books
January 27, 2026Ashes of a Shattered Soul by Alisa Pernea is an emotionally heavy, character-driven read centered on trauma, healing, and resilience. The romance is intense and includes open-door, emotionally charged spice that feels earned and purposeful. Dark, immersive, and deeply felt — this one stays with you.
Review of advance copy received from Author
this book was something else I cried, I laughed, I was at a loss for so long trying to read this book. the plot and story between the characters was one of the most heart-wrenching but amazing story to read. honestly felt as though I was inside the story living it with them.
January 10, 2026
Wow… just wow. This book was an insane ride. This is a fantasy book with a dollop of romance and a dash of smut. It takes a minute to really figure out what’s going on, and it leaves a lot up for interpretation which I found interesting.
It’s a multi timeline following Rynna the FMC over the course of millennia. She meets Kaelith and then is forced to leave him for a while. 50 years go by and she sees him again but her life is very different and she doesn’t initially remember him. My only complaint about this book is, a lot happens to Kaelith during those 50 years, and then also between their reacquaintance and when they’re able to start repairing their relationship, that isn’t explained very well. While I like the idea of leaving things up for interpretation, I wish that had been explained in more detail.
This book was so well written and the storyline was unique and captivating. I absolutely recommend it for people who like a strong FMC, battles, found family, and monsters.
It’s a multi timeline following Rynna the FMC over the course of millennia. She meets Kaelith and then is forced to leave him for a while. 50 years go by and she sees him again but her life is very different and she doesn’t initially remember him. My only complaint about this book is, a lot happens to Kaelith during those 50 years, and then also between their reacquaintance and when they’re able to start repairing their relationship, that isn’t explained very well. While I like the idea of leaving things up for interpretation, I wish that had been explained in more detail.
This book was so well written and the storyline was unique and captivating. I absolutely recommend it for people who like a strong FMC, battles, found family, and monsters.
March 3, 2026
Ashes of a Shattered Soul is one of those books that requires patience — and I mean real patience.
The beginning is very slow and, at times, genuinely confusing. I struggled to understand the world-building early on because I couldn’t clearly place where we were or fully grasp the rules of the setting. On top of that, I had a hard time connecting to the main character at first. I didn’t feel grounded in who they were, what drove them, or how they fit into the bigger picture, which made the opening chapters feel distant.
However, once the story begins to settle and the pieces start clicking into place, it becomes much stronger. The emotional depth gradually unfolds, and you start to see the intention behind the slow burn. The themes of loss, resilience, and identity are layered in a way that feels meaningful once you’re fully immersed.
Overall: a rough and confusing start, but one that rewards readers who stick with it.
#HypeQueenPR
#AshesOfAShatteredSoul
#AlisaPerne
The beginning is very slow and, at times, genuinely confusing. I struggled to understand the world-building early on because I couldn’t clearly place where we were or fully grasp the rules of the setting. On top of that, I had a hard time connecting to the main character at first. I didn’t feel grounded in who they were, what drove them, or how they fit into the bigger picture, which made the opening chapters feel distant.
However, once the story begins to settle and the pieces start clicking into place, it becomes much stronger. The emotional depth gradually unfolds, and you start to see the intention behind the slow burn. The themes of loss, resilience, and identity are layered in a way that feels meaningful once you’re fully immersed.
Overall: a rough and confusing start, but one that rewards readers who stick with it.
#HypeQueenPR
#AshesOfAShatteredSoul
#AlisaPerne
Review of advance copy received from Autor
I got this book as an ARC by the amazing author Alisa Perne.
This book follows the story of Rynna and her walk, through different worlds and different timelines and different lives.
It's a romanticy with a third person pov with multiple love interests.
The story is heartbreaking and when you get to that specific point of her story, you will want to hug and cuddle Rynna.
Packed with action, romance, some blood and gore and an amazing plot, this book is well worth the pre-order now or buy when it comes out on the 26th of February.
I loved reading this book and was super impressed by the story.
4.5 ⭐
This book follows the story of Rynna and her walk, through different worlds and different timelines and different lives.
It's a romanticy with a third person pov with multiple love interests.
The story is heartbreaking and when you get to that specific point of her story, you will want to hug and cuddle Rynna.
Packed with action, romance, some blood and gore and an amazing plot, this book is well worth the pre-order now or buy when it comes out on the 26th of February.
I loved reading this book and was super impressed by the story.
4.5 ⭐
February 2, 2026
I read this as an ARC from the author and I am grateful to have received it. Let me start by saying this book is full of world building, and main character building. I enjoyed her fierceness and willingness to fight for what is right in the worlds she inhabits.
The imagery invoked set my mind off into stars, lush covered landscapes, small communities and larger ships. This is a hefty book though at 581 pages.
There are several magic systems that need more flushing out and it was a bit confusing with the back and forth in time.
With this said, I read this via Book Funnel and I believe some of the confusion would have been solved if the chapter headings and/or separations explained where we were, before of after the burn etc.
The imagery invoked set my mind off into stars, lush covered landscapes, small communities and larger ships. This is a hefty book though at 581 pages.
There are several magic systems that need more flushing out and it was a bit confusing with the back and forth in time.
With this said, I read this via Book Funnel and I believe some of the confusion would have been solved if the chapter headings and/or separations explained where we were, before of after the burn etc.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
"𝙷𝚎𝚛 𝚏𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚖𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚠𝚊𝚜 𝚔𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚍. 𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚗, 𝚑𝚎'𝚜 𝚛𝚎𝚒𝚗𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚗𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚠𝚘 𝚖𝚎𝚗 𝚋𝚘𝚛𝚗 𝚏𝚒𝚏𝚝𝚢 𝚢𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚜 𝚊𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝. 𝚃𝚠𝚘 𝚜𝚑𝚒𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚜. 𝙰 𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚘 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚊 𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚒𝚝𝚘𝚛: 𝚋𝚘𝚝𝚑 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚞𝚛𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚑𝚎𝚛."
Holy hell, y'all. My heart? Ripped from my chest. My soul? Destroyed. I was blessed with this ARC by Alisa Perne, and when I say I am changed forever, I truly mean it. 🥲
This is a DOOZY of a book. It's thick, but it's so hard to put down. As a dark romantasy lover, I absolutely ate it up. Plus it's a standalone, so no stressing about waiting for the next installment. 🙏
We have our FMC, Rynna (who is one of the coolest, most bad@$$ FMCs I've encountered), and two super hot shifter MMCs. Love triangle turned why choose? 🥵 YES PLEASE. Some of the other awesome tropes this book includes are:
✨ Forbidden love
✨ Forced proximity
✨ Duty vs. love
✨ She tends his wounds
✨ He waits 50 years for her 🥺
Holy hell, y'all. My heart? Ripped from my chest. My soul? Destroyed. I was blessed with this ARC by Alisa Perne, and when I say I am changed forever, I truly mean it. 🥲
This is a DOOZY of a book. It's thick, but it's so hard to put down. As a dark romantasy lover, I absolutely ate it up. Plus it's a standalone, so no stressing about waiting for the next installment. 🙏
We have our FMC, Rynna (who is one of the coolest, most bad@$$ FMCs I've encountered), and two super hot shifter MMCs. Love triangle turned why choose? 🥵 YES PLEASE. Some of the other awesome tropes this book includes are:
✨ Forbidden love
✨ Forced proximity
✨ Duty vs. love
✨ She tends his wounds
✨ He waits 50 years for her 🥺
Review of advance copy received from Author
Ashes of a Shattered Soul took off from page one. It’s action packed, full of magic, and shapeshifters.
The story follows Rynna as she tries to save each world she is catapulted to from total destruction. All the while she struggles with memory loss and flash backs of her past. She is one tough bad ass! On one world she falls in love with a Kaelith who is a shapeshifter. In the next world fifty years later she falls in love with Finn. Not to give anything away they all three end up together at some point and the banter between them is amusing, spicy, and so much more.
The story follows Rynna as she tries to save each world she is catapulted to from total destruction. All the while she struggles with memory loss and flash backs of her past. She is one tough bad ass! On one world she falls in love with a Kaelith who is a shapeshifter. In the next world fifty years later she falls in love with Finn. Not to give anything away they all three end up together at some point and the banter between them is amusing, spicy, and so much more.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Emotional damage, banter for days and spice to melt your kindle. Rynna and her guys go through it all. This book has world jumping, action, elemental powers and shifters with *special* appendages.
The story takes you to Rynna's past in pieces while following her current timelines she exists in. The way the author chose to jump back in time and then forward to current events flowed so well. I absolutely LOVED the banter. And the spice was spicing HARD. You need a new definition for DP with what happened here. And when snakes and surprise knotting enter the chat, just go touch alllll of the grass.
I cannot recommend this book enough. Just be prepared to leak tears from your eyes and your thighs😏
The story takes you to Rynna's past in pieces while following her current timelines she exists in. The way the author chose to jump back in time and then forward to current events flowed so well. I absolutely LOVED the banter. And the spice was spicing HARD. You need a new definition for DP with what happened here. And when snakes and surprise knotting enter the chat, just go touch alllll of the grass.
I cannot recommend this book enough. Just be prepared to leak tears from your eyes and your thighs😏
February 21, 2026
This dark romantasy was a chonker compared to the novellas and shorter books I usually read, but I really enjoyed it. Thankfully it moved fast enough to keep my interest throughout.
This is an epic story, with an immortal FMC whose story takes place across various worlds and time periods. There is a lot of character and world building in this book, which really brings these people and places to life.
As someone who loves magical systems in fiction and real life, I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Source, and the elemental magic within this story.
The love triangle to why choose relationship was rather delicious, with some very nice spicy moments (who knew a mind meld could be THAT smexy!)
I received an ARC of this ebook from the author, and I'm voluntarily leaving this review.
This is an epic story, with an immortal FMC whose story takes place across various worlds and time periods. There is a lot of character and world building in this book, which really brings these people and places to life.
As someone who loves magical systems in fiction and real life, I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Source, and the elemental magic within this story.
The love triangle to why choose relationship was rather delicious, with some very nice spicy moments (who knew a mind meld could be THAT smexy!)
I received an ARC of this ebook from the author, and I'm voluntarily leaving this review.
December 20, 2025
The story line was interesting a well rounded debut novel ☺️
Things I really enjoyed: the smut was good, and the banter was fun and witty!!! I also really enjoyed the fmc she was badass and likeable!! Very beautiful writing style - full of descriptive wording and metaphors.
I personally would have liked too see some more world building. The magic system was also very confusing. I had to reference back a lot to the glossary, because I wasn’t able to keep up with understanding what “hollow born” or “the source” and “the reach” were referencing. It was very hard to establish the time period or world they were in, as well as what was going on from the very beginning. I was getting lost a lot. The relationships were also established very fast with the instalove effect which can be hard to fan girl over.
Overall I think this author has good potential and the book was unique!
Things I really enjoyed: the smut was good, and the banter was fun and witty!!! I also really enjoyed the fmc she was badass and likeable!! Very beautiful writing style - full of descriptive wording and metaphors.
I personally would have liked too see some more world building. The magic system was also very confusing. I had to reference back a lot to the glossary, because I wasn’t able to keep up with understanding what “hollow born” or “the source” and “the reach” were referencing. It was very hard to establish the time period or world they were in, as well as what was going on from the very beginning. I was getting lost a lot. The relationships were also established very fast with the instalove effect which can be hard to fan girl over.
Overall I think this author has good potential and the book was unique!
February 4, 2026
this book had a bunch of ups and downs. the first half was a bit slower to get through , but the last bit i went though pretty quickly. i loved that it had naruto themes in it and mates. the multiple different lives and beginning of the book was a bit confusing, but towards the end was better and i understood. i didn’t care for the jumping back and forth between times and lives , THAT confused me the most. but ultimately i loved the story and rynna was such a great fmc 🥹🤭
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A slow-burning debut that rewards your patience!
This was my second ARC read, and I am so glad I stuck with this book. If you’re looking for a badass, resilient mortal FMC, Rynna is exactly that. She is a moral gray character done right. Strong, capable, and her amnesia arc is handled with so much care.
The heart of the book for me was the dynamic between Fenn and Kaelith. You get the best of both worlds here: «the monster villain» vs «The Golden Retriever Commander». Their banter is witty, fun, and kept me turning the pages. And for those who enjoy a lot of heat, the spicy scenes are well-written and actually move the narrative forward rather than just being there for the sake of it.
A note for new readers: The beginning can be a bit confusing. It starts with a sci-fi feel, and the book jumps between the past and the future, which felt confusing at first. However, by the end, I realized exactly why those time jumps were necessary!
While the magic system takes a while to click, and the book is a hefty 700+ pages (it could have easily been a duology), but the payoff is worth it.
I almost DNF’d this, but the ending wrapped everything up so beautifully that I actually found myself crying. It’s a slow burn, and the romances move at different speeds—one felt a bit fast while the other was a true test of patience. But it all makes sense in the final act. Definitely a solid debut!
This was my second ARC read, and I am so glad I stuck with this book. If you’re looking for a badass, resilient mortal FMC, Rynna is exactly that. She is a moral gray character done right. Strong, capable, and her amnesia arc is handled with so much care.
The heart of the book for me was the dynamic between Fenn and Kaelith. You get the best of both worlds here: «the monster villain» vs «The Golden Retriever Commander». Their banter is witty, fun, and kept me turning the pages. And for those who enjoy a lot of heat, the spicy scenes are well-written and actually move the narrative forward rather than just being there for the sake of it.
A note for new readers: The beginning can be a bit confusing. It starts with a sci-fi feel, and the book jumps between the past and the future, which felt confusing at first. However, by the end, I realized exactly why those time jumps were necessary!
While the magic system takes a while to click, and the book is a hefty 700+ pages (it could have easily been a duology), but the payoff is worth it.
I almost DNF’d this, but the ending wrapped everything up so beautifully that I actually found myself crying. It’s a slow burn, and the romances move at different speeds—one felt a bit fast while the other was a true test of patience. But it all makes sense in the final act. Definitely a solid debut!
March 12, 2026
A unique spin on finding your soulmate!
We start with Rynna working with a group of warriors to help save a world, only right when Rynna is in the midst of accomplishing her goal (which would have unalived her), her fated mate is unalived himself. And unfortunately, the task that Rynna is doing keeps her soul from following his. Then, it turns out she is a warrior for the Weaving, an entity that sends her to new worlds to save them before catastrophe strikes. Along the way, we find out that she became this way to atone for the mvrder and bloödshed she herself inflicted.
During one of her missions, she finds Kaelith, a snake shifter who happens to have one-half of her soulmate's soul in him. He is definitely a morally grey man, but she feels connected to him with her soul recognizing his. They live a somewhat quiet life until her "task" is deemed complete and she is ripped from his world. The agony she expressed as she's being taken, hoping that she might be able to keep him and if not at least her memory of him, was very gut-punch and sad.
Then we see her in a new mission, no memory of her last one, but only 50 years later. She meets Fenn, who turns out to have the other half of her soulmate's soul housed within him. Despite the very much insta-lust that happens between the two of them, I loved the little moments of them getting to know each other through him being her leader of Fang Unit. Until they run into Kaelith again.
I'll admit, I was very confused for most of the first half of this book. I had a hard time keeping up with the time jumps, the flashbacks, and trying to keep what was happening now versus what was a memory that was taken from her. It seems like her memories were able to come back to her because of her soul-deep connection to Kaelith, despite him becoming a villain in trying to find her.
I loved the found family vibes we get with each member of Fang Unit! Even though they each went their separate ways for a while, as soon as they all find each other again they are fierce in protecting each other and working together to save everyone around them. And the fact that they were all there with Rynna at the end of her life before she got swept away to a new mission was very cute. Definitely happy tears with their goodbye.
I did appreciate that this is a standalone romantasy, though definitely heavy sci-fi elements as well. I loved that it seemed Rynna had done enough to earn a full life with her soulmates. I also love that both Kaelith and Fenn seemed to bond to each other as well, despite them not liking each other much when they first met. It almost seemed like their love for Rynna started a bond between them, but they nurtured it beyond just each of their relationships with Rynna.
But! Rynna just has to go back to her missions for the Weaving? After she's lost both men, again?! While it was due to old age for each of them rather than a harsh ripping apart, she's just expected to continue going on missions? Why can't she go with them, have her soul be at peace with them? And then, after she's gone, we see that Kaelith actually had manipulated the vampire virus in both himself and Fenn so they would resurrect as well. They plan to go on a journey to find her again. BUT! What if they don't? And did Rynna's memories get erased again? What if she finds someone just for the company before Kaelith and Fenn find her?
While this is supposed to be a standalone story, I truly wonder if there might be a spin-off showing the adventures of Kaelith and Fenn going to find Rynna, and what possible mischief they might get into along the way. And Fenn is truly the upstanding one between the two of them, I would hope that Kaelith can keep his humanity and not become the monster he did before.
Some favorite quotes:
Let them feel her pain. Let them choke on it.
she had taken him, made him hers, and there was no turning back.
Men. Forever announcing their wrath to the world, like battle-stallions scenting a mare in heat, desperate for recognition.
The two of them, tramping across continents, scavenging words to make sense of destiny. As if it were a puzzle to solve instead of a flame to endure.
Though peace, I knew, never lingered long. Not for those chosen by flame.
When you disappeared, what we had shattered. And I... I took the jagged shards and broke them further, cutting myself into pieces.
She didn't want to be soothed. She wanted to burn. To lash out. To break something. To hurt someone.
Maybe she could choose who she wanted to be, and her past, or her nature, didn't have to define her.
"Even in a world of blood and violence... justice still finds its turn."
The Wise One. But she couldn't reach her. Couldn't be her. She was just Rynna. Cracked, Rotten. No better than the monster before her. Powerless. -- Powerless? The thought struck deep. Are you sure?
If you love dark romantic fantasy with forbidden love, second chance romance, banter and yearning, love triangle to why choose, cosmic heartbreak, devouring rage, duty vs love, immortal FMC, forced proximity, she tends his wounds, and elemental magic, then check out Ashes of a Shattered Soul!
I received an advanced review copy. This review contains my honest opinion and is being left voluntarily.
We start with Rynna working with a group of warriors to help save a world, only right when Rynna is in the midst of accomplishing her goal (which would have unalived her), her fated mate is unalived himself. And unfortunately, the task that Rynna is doing keeps her soul from following his. Then, it turns out she is a warrior for the Weaving, an entity that sends her to new worlds to save them before catastrophe strikes. Along the way, we find out that she became this way to atone for the mvrder and bloödshed she herself inflicted.
During one of her missions, she finds Kaelith, a snake shifter who happens to have one-half of her soulmate's soul in him. He is definitely a morally grey man, but she feels connected to him with her soul recognizing his. They live a somewhat quiet life until her "task" is deemed complete and she is ripped from his world. The agony she expressed as she's being taken, hoping that she might be able to keep him and if not at least her memory of him, was very gut-punch and sad.
Then we see her in a new mission, no memory of her last one, but only 50 years later. She meets Fenn, who turns out to have the other half of her soulmate's soul housed within him. Despite the very much insta-lust that happens between the two of them, I loved the little moments of them getting to know each other through him being her leader of Fang Unit. Until they run into Kaelith again.
I'll admit, I was very confused for most of the first half of this book. I had a hard time keeping up with the time jumps, the flashbacks, and trying to keep what was happening now versus what was a memory that was taken from her. It seems like her memories were able to come back to her because of her soul-deep connection to Kaelith, despite him becoming a villain in trying to find her.
I loved the found family vibes we get with each member of Fang Unit! Even though they each went their separate ways for a while, as soon as they all find each other again they are fierce in protecting each other and working together to save everyone around them. And the fact that they were all there with Rynna at the end of her life before she got swept away to a new mission was very cute. Definitely happy tears with their goodbye.
I did appreciate that this is a standalone romantasy, though definitely heavy sci-fi elements as well. I loved that it seemed Rynna had done enough to earn a full life with her soulmates. I also love that both Kaelith and Fenn seemed to bond to each other as well, despite them not liking each other much when they first met. It almost seemed like their love for Rynna started a bond between them, but they nurtured it beyond just each of their relationships with Rynna.
But! Rynna just has to go back to her missions for the Weaving? After she's lost both men, again?! While it was due to old age for each of them rather than a harsh ripping apart, she's just expected to continue going on missions? Why can't she go with them, have her soul be at peace with them? And then, after she's gone, we see that Kaelith actually had manipulated the vampire virus in both himself and Fenn so they would resurrect as well. They plan to go on a journey to find her again. BUT! What if they don't? And did Rynna's memories get erased again? What if she finds someone just for the company before Kaelith and Fenn find her?
While this is supposed to be a standalone story, I truly wonder if there might be a spin-off showing the adventures of Kaelith and Fenn going to find Rynna, and what possible mischief they might get into along the way. And Fenn is truly the upstanding one between the two of them, I would hope that Kaelith can keep his humanity and not become the monster he did before.
Some favorite quotes:
Let them feel her pain. Let them choke on it.
she had taken him, made him hers, and there was no turning back.
Men. Forever announcing their wrath to the world, like battle-stallions scenting a mare in heat, desperate for recognition.
The two of them, tramping across continents, scavenging words to make sense of destiny. As if it were a puzzle to solve instead of a flame to endure.
Though peace, I knew, never lingered long. Not for those chosen by flame.
When you disappeared, what we had shattered. And I... I took the jagged shards and broke them further, cutting myself into pieces.
She didn't want to be soothed. She wanted to burn. To lash out. To break something. To hurt someone.
Maybe she could choose who she wanted to be, and her past, or her nature, didn't have to define her.
"Even in a world of blood and violence... justice still finds its turn."
The Wise One. But she couldn't reach her. Couldn't be her. She was just Rynna. Cracked, Rotten. No better than the monster before her. Powerless. -- Powerless? The thought struck deep. Are you sure?
If you love dark romantic fantasy with forbidden love, second chance romance, banter and yearning, love triangle to why choose, cosmic heartbreak, devouring rage, duty vs love, immortal FMC, forced proximity, she tends his wounds, and elemental magic, then check out Ashes of a Shattered Soul!
I received an advanced review copy. This review contains my honest opinion and is being left voluntarily.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
3.5 ⭐️
I had to sit with this review for a bit.
This is one of the most unique stories I’ve read in a long time, and I genuinely enjoyed it. But I’m also conflicted.
At its core, this book is wildly ambitious. A dragon shifter immortal, reincarnated across worlds and lifetimes, stripped of her memories but driven by instinct, skill, and rage, forced to complete catastrophic missions knowing that once she succeeds she will be ripped away and born again somewhere else. That premise alone is fascinating. Rynna is dynamic, feral, tragic, and compelling. Watching her move through missions with nothing but intuition and the weight of eons pressing against her was the strongest element of the book.
The problem is not the concept.
The problem is the pitch.
The marketing centers heavily on the idea that her fallen fated mate is reincarnated into two men born fifty years apart in the same world. That concept is what made me request this ARC. But that is not fully realized in the story we’re given.
Fenrith is referenced in the prologue and his death devastates Rynna, but we are not given enough of their relationship to emotionally anchor the idea of a soul that keeps finding hers again. There are no clear hints of familiarity or spiritual recognition with Kaelith or Fenn that would suggest Fenrith’s essence has returned to her. Most significantly, there is no true confirmation that her fated mate has reincarnated as these two men.
What frustrates me is that I’m only frustrated because of the expectation that was set. Rynna’s story on its own (her bond with Kaelith, her relationship with Fenn, the convergence of timelines) is compelling enough. It did not need to be framed around dual reincarnated fated mates if that thread was not going to be explicitly executed.
The reading experience itself is dense. At over 750 pages, this is a standalone dark romantasy that asks a lot of its reader. The timeline shifts and mission jumps are intentionally disorienting, but at times they felt more confusing than immersive. I found myself flipping back to the glossary frequently, and even by the end I was still piecing together how all of Rynna’s past lives connect to the present mission with Fang Unit.
I also struggled with tonal inconsistency in Rynna’s dialogue. While I understand she has lived countless lives across worlds and eras, the inclusion of modern pop culture references and contemporary colloquialisms in otherwise ancient-feeling settings occasionally pulled me out of the story.
Romantically, the trio felt uneven. We learn about Kaelith and Fenn more through action than internal depth, which I appreciate. Interestingly, Fenn’s slow burn with Rynna felt more believable because we see it unfold on page. Kaelith’s connection felt the most inevitable and mythic, especially given what he endures to find her again, but it was explored less directly. Rynna’s resistance to Kaelith reads more as loyalty to the life she’s currently living with Fenn than as an internal reckoning with a soul-deep bond.
Despite my frustrations, I can’t deny the scope, imagination, and emotional ambition of this story. The concept is fantastic. Rynna as a character is unforgettable. I just wish the reincarnation premise that drew me in had been more clearly woven into the narrative we received.
TL;DR: Bold, imaginative, and unlike anything else I’ve read, but the reincarnated fated mate premise that sold the book is not fully delivered. I admired the ambition and enjoyed the ride, even if the execution left me wanting clearer threads.
I had to sit with this review for a bit.
This is one of the most unique stories I’ve read in a long time, and I genuinely enjoyed it. But I’m also conflicted.
At its core, this book is wildly ambitious. A dragon shifter immortal, reincarnated across worlds and lifetimes, stripped of her memories but driven by instinct, skill, and rage, forced to complete catastrophic missions knowing that once she succeeds she will be ripped away and born again somewhere else. That premise alone is fascinating. Rynna is dynamic, feral, tragic, and compelling. Watching her move through missions with nothing but intuition and the weight of eons pressing against her was the strongest element of the book.
The problem is not the concept.
The problem is the pitch.
The marketing centers heavily on the idea that her fallen fated mate is reincarnated into two men born fifty years apart in the same world. That concept is what made me request this ARC. But that is not fully realized in the story we’re given.
Fenrith is referenced in the prologue and his death devastates Rynna, but we are not given enough of their relationship to emotionally anchor the idea of a soul that keeps finding hers again. There are no clear hints of familiarity or spiritual recognition with Kaelith or Fenn that would suggest Fenrith’s essence has returned to her. Most significantly, there is no true confirmation that her fated mate has reincarnated as these two men.
What frustrates me is that I’m only frustrated because of the expectation that was set. Rynna’s story on its own (her bond with Kaelith, her relationship with Fenn, the convergence of timelines) is compelling enough. It did not need to be framed around dual reincarnated fated mates if that thread was not going to be explicitly executed.
The reading experience itself is dense. At over 750 pages, this is a standalone dark romantasy that asks a lot of its reader. The timeline shifts and mission jumps are intentionally disorienting, but at times they felt more confusing than immersive. I found myself flipping back to the glossary frequently, and even by the end I was still piecing together how all of Rynna’s past lives connect to the present mission with Fang Unit.
I also struggled with tonal inconsistency in Rynna’s dialogue. While I understand she has lived countless lives across worlds and eras, the inclusion of modern pop culture references and contemporary colloquialisms in otherwise ancient-feeling settings occasionally pulled me out of the story.
Romantically, the trio felt uneven. We learn about Kaelith and Fenn more through action than internal depth, which I appreciate. Interestingly, Fenn’s slow burn with Rynna felt more believable because we see it unfold on page. Kaelith’s connection felt the most inevitable and mythic, especially given what he endures to find her again, but it was explored less directly. Rynna’s resistance to Kaelith reads more as loyalty to the life she’s currently living with Fenn than as an internal reckoning with a soul-deep bond.
Despite my frustrations, I can’t deny the scope, imagination, and emotional ambition of this story. The concept is fantastic. Rynna as a character is unforgettable. I just wish the reincarnation premise that drew me in had been more clearly woven into the narrative we received.
TL;DR: Bold, imaginative, and unlike anything else I’ve read, but the reincarnated fated mate premise that sold the book is not fully delivered. I admired the ambition and enjoyed the ride, even if the execution left me wanting clearer threads.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is the first ARC that I get to read and review (YAY! Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing for an eARC!), so I'm going to try to summarize my thoughts the best I can.
The writing style of the author is descriptive and beautiful. Some scenes were really immersive and I could picture and, in a way, feel part of the story. I thought that the plot and the characters were interesting and unique. It's different from the current "Romantasy template". There is spice but it doesn't overshadow the plot. It kept me engaged and wondering what will happen next (and usually it's easy for me to predict where the story will go). There are some sci-fi elements and time jumps that shift completely the setting, following only Rynna's (FMC) story. Through the different missions and, in a way, lives (due to her amnesia) the reader can see different aspects of her character. She is not shown as this perfect and good heroine, there are complexities and nuances that we cannot completely understand to justify her actions. I enjoyed how strong she was, that she is not defenceless or in need of training. She didn't try to conform to anyone's expectations, just to blend enough in the places she found herself. She knows that her time in each place is limited and tries to make the most of it. There are several love interests and she doesn't stop herself from enjoying their company, which can feel a little insta love when it comes to the MMCs.
Speaking of the MMCs... Snake shifter and wolf shifter, how can she choose?! Kae and Fenn are fun to be around, and I'm glad that she doesn't. They are delicious, each one plays a role and in a way completes the trio. The chemistry is palpable.
Fang Unit was also cool and I enjoyed their interactions very much. They felt like found family and I'm glad that we got to know their quirky personalities.
The ending was truly heart wrenching! And I would've been satisfied with it even without the epilogue, but that just makes it even better! Overall I enjoyed the novel and I will definitely read other books by this author.
With this said, there are a few reasons why this is not a 5 star read for me. The continuous time jumps were a bit confusing, the author introduced secondary characters and information and I kept waiting for them to make sense or appear towards the end but they didn't. I kept asking myself why Rynna is not trying to find answers, and while I understand that going on 892 missions could have pushed her to just resignate and live in the present, I think that it would help the reader understand the impact of certain situations better if there was more context and information. I wanted to learn more about her powers and being both a dragon shifter and a vampire. There was little information about Kaelith and his initial purpose. At times communication between the main characters regarding serious topics (don't want to spoil anything so I'm not giving details) felt like it was missing. Until around 30% of the book I had a difficult time following.
There was a religious hint that I disliked. In one of her missions, set in a desert, there is a character named Josh, who was a prophet. He was crucified and she was pulled out by the Weaving. The similarities with Jesus are a lot and to me this is completely unnecessary.
Lastly, I suppose that the ARC wasn't fully polished and edited due to some typos and some character names changing mid action (Calli became Rhea). Sadly, this contributed to my confusion and pulled me out of the story.
The writing style of the author is descriptive and beautiful. Some scenes were really immersive and I could picture and, in a way, feel part of the story. I thought that the plot and the characters were interesting and unique. It's different from the current "Romantasy template". There is spice but it doesn't overshadow the plot. It kept me engaged and wondering what will happen next (and usually it's easy for me to predict where the story will go). There are some sci-fi elements and time jumps that shift completely the setting, following only Rynna's (FMC) story. Through the different missions and, in a way, lives (due to her amnesia) the reader can see different aspects of her character. She is not shown as this perfect and good heroine, there are complexities and nuances that we cannot completely understand to justify her actions. I enjoyed how strong she was, that she is not defenceless or in need of training. She didn't try to conform to anyone's expectations, just to blend enough in the places she found herself. She knows that her time in each place is limited and tries to make the most of it. There are several love interests and she doesn't stop herself from enjoying their company, which can feel a little insta love when it comes to the MMCs.
Speaking of the MMCs... Snake shifter and wolf shifter, how can she choose?! Kae and Fenn are fun to be around, and I'm glad that she doesn't. They are delicious, each one plays a role and in a way completes the trio. The chemistry is palpable.
Fang Unit was also cool and I enjoyed their interactions very much. They felt like found family and I'm glad that we got to know their quirky personalities.
The ending was truly heart wrenching! And I would've been satisfied with it even without the epilogue, but that just makes it even better! Overall I enjoyed the novel and I will definitely read other books by this author.
With this said, there are a few reasons why this is not a 5 star read for me. The continuous time jumps were a bit confusing, the author introduced secondary characters and information and I kept waiting for them to make sense or appear towards the end but they didn't. I kept asking myself why Rynna is not trying to find answers, and while I understand that going on 892 missions could have pushed her to just resignate and live in the present, I think that it would help the reader understand the impact of certain situations better if there was more context and information. I wanted to learn more about her powers and being both a dragon shifter and a vampire. There was little information about Kaelith and his initial purpose. At times communication between the main characters regarding serious topics (don't want to spoil anything so I'm not giving details) felt like it was missing. Until around 30% of the book I had a difficult time following.
There was a religious hint that I disliked. In one of her missions, set in a desert, there is a character named Josh, who was a prophet. He was crucified and she was pulled out by the Weaving. The similarities with Jesus are a lot and to me this is completely unnecessary.
Lastly, I suppose that the ARC wasn't fully polished and edited due to some typos and some character names changing mid action (Calli became Rhea). Sadly, this contributed to my confusion and pulled me out of the story.
March 10, 2026
I got the amazing opportinty to review this ARC!
Summary:
We follow Rynna, our fierce FMC leading her people into battle in the vast emptiness of space, fighting an enemy, the Wraiths, that are set to destroy worlds. When Dragons find a mate, they are bonded for life, so when events happen and Rynna is sent on mission after mission by the mysterious The Weaving, she meets her fated mate once again. Only this time, it’s two men, and she meets them 50 years apart.
Spoiler free review:
I went through so many emotions throughout this book, I honestly didn’t know what to expect, but I kept getting surprised! I can’t believe that this is a debut novel as well?! It’s very well written, and the emotions and the trauma are felt from the very first chapter. The FMC is an absolute badass, even when you feel her humanity slip away with all the things she has gone through, she never faulters and stays true to herself in the end. The two MMCs are so different, yet I kept changing who I rotted for, and in the end had to conclude I really couldn’t. I am not much for spice, so I was happy it was not a plot point every second chapter, but when it was there, boy was it good! I also LOVE that this is not a series, everything is started and concluded, with a very satisfying ending.
Plot:
The plot is honestly so unique, my only complaint honestly about the whole book was the confusion and the relevance of some of the very long flashbacks, but at the same time, it set the tone for how much Rynna goes through on her missions. The magic system was interesting, not overly explained but I kinda liked that we basically knew as much as Rynna knew, which was what was necessary and no long info dumps. You kinda just went with the flow of her adventures, while everything slowly unraveled and you could start to connect the dots.
Characters:
Bran my baby my boy my precious, honestly the whole of Fang Unit must be protected. It was such a band if different misfits, you really can’t do anything but care for all of them, felt like a found family for Rynna. I also loved Kaelith and Rynna’s relationship in the beginning, though I had a harder time growing close to the characters in The Hearth, I would maybe have liked a little more bonding time with Ben to make some other plot points stand out even more. Fenn was adorable, but shy and disciplined, very opposite of Kaelith, which I think was the charm. They both had so many different qualities that made me love them.
Spoiler review:
Summary:
We follow Rynna, our fierce FMC leading her people into battle in the vast emptiness of space, fighting an enemy, the Wraiths, that are set to destroy worlds. When Dragons find a mate, they are bonded for life, so when events happen and Rynna is sent on mission after mission by the mysterious The Weaving, she meets her fated mate once again. Only this time, it’s two men, and she meets them 50 years apart.
Spoiler free review:
I went through so many emotions throughout this book, I honestly didn’t know what to expect, but I kept getting surprised! I can’t believe that this is a debut novel as well?! It’s very well written, and the emotions and the trauma are felt from the very first chapter. The FMC is an absolute badass, even when you feel her humanity slip away with all the things she has gone through, she never faulters and stays true to herself in the end. The two MMCs are so different, yet I kept changing who I rotted for, and in the end had to conclude I really couldn’t. I am not much for spice, so I was happy it was not a plot point every second chapter, but when it was there, boy was it good! I also LOVE that this is not a series, everything is started and concluded, with a very satisfying ending.
Plot:
The plot is honestly so unique, my only complaint honestly about the whole book was the confusion and the relevance of some of the very long flashbacks, but at the same time, it set the tone for how much Rynna goes through on her missions. The magic system was interesting, not overly explained but I kinda liked that we basically knew as much as Rynna knew, which was what was necessary and no long info dumps. You kinda just went with the flow of her adventures, while everything slowly unraveled and you could start to connect the dots.
Characters:
Bran my baby my boy my precious, honestly the whole of Fang Unit must be protected. It was such a band if different misfits, you really can’t do anything but care for all of them, felt like a found family for Rynna. I also loved Kaelith and Rynna’s relationship in the beginning, though I had a harder time growing close to the characters in The Hearth, I would maybe have liked a little more bonding time with Ben to make some other plot points stand out even more. Fenn was adorable, but shy and disciplined, very opposite of Kaelith, which I think was the charm. They both had so many different qualities that made me love them.
Spoiler review:
January 12, 2026
I received an Advance Reader Copy of Ashes of a Shattered Soul by Alisa Perne in exchange for an honest review.
This book is ambitious and imaginative, blending fantasy, sci-fi, romantasy, and darker elements into a sweeping story about immortality, memory, and duty. While the scope is impressive, at times the narrative feels overcrowded and hard to follow.
In honesty, I did struggle with the first half of the book. The opening combination of dragons and spaceships was personally off-putting, and the frequent time jumps—weeks, decades, and even millennia—made it difficult to stay emotionally anchored early on.
The story follows Rhynna, an immortal being repeatedly forced into human form (wielded) to save different worlds across millennia, losing her memories each time. Rhynna is a very powerful being but forced to bury what she really is and what she’s capable of but during one of her missions she becomes Queen of the Vampires and lusts for blood. She is also still haunted by the loss of her mate, a connection that resurfaces with two central male characters, Kaelith and 50 years later Fenn.
Rhynna’s relationship with Kaelith develops very quickly; while his serpentine, completely morally dark grey nature is intriguing, the romance itself felt underexplored at first. There is also a brief storyline with 2 other MMCs, Malekar and even earlier Joshua, a love interest from millennia ago, however both felt somewhat disconnected from the rest of the plot.
I did enjoy the battle and training sequences. Chapter 15 stands out, showing Rhynna’s skill set, and her relationship and time with Guide Fenn and the Fang unit was the most compelling part of the book—focused, emotionally grounded, and confident in voice. By the final third, I found myself genuinely invested in Rhynna, Kaelith, and Fenn, which helped the story’s emotional stakes land.
The book introduces many familiar fantasy tropes—beasts in human form, zombies, vampiric blood-sharing, large flying eagles including a Phoenix, waygates for travel, and elemental magic systems. While individually interesting, the number of worlds, characters, and ideas can feel overwhelming, and the book could have been shorter without losing its emotional impact.
Overall, I feel this is a creative and ambitious novel. While it wasn’t a perfect fit for me, there are strong characters and compelling moments that will resonate with readers who enjoy genre-blending fantasy, immortal protagonists, and morally complex relationships.
This book is ambitious and imaginative, blending fantasy, sci-fi, romantasy, and darker elements into a sweeping story about immortality, memory, and duty. While the scope is impressive, at times the narrative feels overcrowded and hard to follow.
In honesty, I did struggle with the first half of the book. The opening combination of dragons and spaceships was personally off-putting, and the frequent time jumps—weeks, decades, and even millennia—made it difficult to stay emotionally anchored early on.
The story follows Rhynna, an immortal being repeatedly forced into human form (wielded) to save different worlds across millennia, losing her memories each time. Rhynna is a very powerful being but forced to bury what she really is and what she’s capable of but during one of her missions she becomes Queen of the Vampires and lusts for blood. She is also still haunted by the loss of her mate, a connection that resurfaces with two central male characters, Kaelith and 50 years later Fenn.
Rhynna’s relationship with Kaelith develops very quickly; while his serpentine, completely morally dark grey nature is intriguing, the romance itself felt underexplored at first. There is also a brief storyline with 2 other MMCs, Malekar and even earlier Joshua, a love interest from millennia ago, however both felt somewhat disconnected from the rest of the plot.
I did enjoy the battle and training sequences. Chapter 15 stands out, showing Rhynna’s skill set, and her relationship and time with Guide Fenn and the Fang unit was the most compelling part of the book—focused, emotionally grounded, and confident in voice. By the final third, I found myself genuinely invested in Rhynna, Kaelith, and Fenn, which helped the story’s emotional stakes land.
The book introduces many familiar fantasy tropes—beasts in human form, zombies, vampiric blood-sharing, large flying eagles including a Phoenix, waygates for travel, and elemental magic systems. While individually interesting, the number of worlds, characters, and ideas can feel overwhelming, and the book could have been shorter without losing its emotional impact.
Overall, I feel this is a creative and ambitious novel. While it wasn’t a perfect fit for me, there are strong characters and compelling moments that will resonate with readers who enjoy genre-blending fantasy, immortal protagonists, and morally complex relationships.
Review of advance copy received from Author
4⭐️ Review
This is not a pallette cleanser, this is the book you need a pallette cleanser to recover from. Ashes of a Shattered Soul by Alisa Perne is one of those novels that pries open your chest, sits on your ribcage, and watches you breathe, unevenly, messily, beautifully. It isn’t perfect, but it feels, deeply, painfully, tenderly and that alone makes it a story worth reading.
At the heart of this book is Rynna, a woman carved from grief and fire, whose soul has been battered by centuries of loss and endless war. She carries her pain like armor, battered, heavy, impossible to ignore, and the author doesn’t let you look away from it. I found myself aching with her, flinching with her, and sometimes wanting to shake her just to see if there were anything left beneath the ash. Her emotional journey is the story, not just what happens to her, but how every heartbreak, every memory, every hope stripped away shapes the woman she reluctantly becomes.
Then there are the two men. Two incarnations of the same soul, torn from her heart in different lifetimes. The first spark between Rynna and him is soulful and devastating in its inevitability, but the second holds a quieter, more complicated ache, a kind of gentle ache that doesn’t go away. The author paints these connections with a deft hand. The romance isn’t sweet or easy. It’s raw, layered, and sometimes contrary, just like real love that has lived through too much.
Where the book truly shines is in its emotional depth. There were moments that made my breath catch, not because they were loud or dramatic, but because they were true to human yearning and loss. Rynna’s heartbreak felt like something I’d carried myself, locked inside a memory I couldn’t forget.
That said, the pacing in the middle sometimes faltered under its own ambition, lingering in places where I wanted propulsion and rushing at times when I wanted stillness. A few world-building threads felt like echoes of something grander just out of reach, leaving me wishing for a bit more grounding in the chaotic magic of it all. These aren’t fatal flaws, just minor cracks in an otherwise compelling world.
But make no mistake, this is a book that will shake you. If you read Ashes of a Shattered Soul looking for comfort, look elsewhere. If you read it ready to feel, to grieve, love, and wrestle with what it means to be broken yet not defeated, you’ll walk away changed in the best possible way. This a story that doesn’t just break hearts but understands them.
I received this book as an ARC from the author and this is my honest review.
This is not a pallette cleanser, this is the book you need a pallette cleanser to recover from. Ashes of a Shattered Soul by Alisa Perne is one of those novels that pries open your chest, sits on your ribcage, and watches you breathe, unevenly, messily, beautifully. It isn’t perfect, but it feels, deeply, painfully, tenderly and that alone makes it a story worth reading.
At the heart of this book is Rynna, a woman carved from grief and fire, whose soul has been battered by centuries of loss and endless war. She carries her pain like armor, battered, heavy, impossible to ignore, and the author doesn’t let you look away from it. I found myself aching with her, flinching with her, and sometimes wanting to shake her just to see if there were anything left beneath the ash. Her emotional journey is the story, not just what happens to her, but how every heartbreak, every memory, every hope stripped away shapes the woman she reluctantly becomes.
Then there are the two men. Two incarnations of the same soul, torn from her heart in different lifetimes. The first spark between Rynna and him is soulful and devastating in its inevitability, but the second holds a quieter, more complicated ache, a kind of gentle ache that doesn’t go away. The author paints these connections with a deft hand. The romance isn’t sweet or easy. It’s raw, layered, and sometimes contrary, just like real love that has lived through too much.
Where the book truly shines is in its emotional depth. There were moments that made my breath catch, not because they were loud or dramatic, but because they were true to human yearning and loss. Rynna’s heartbreak felt like something I’d carried myself, locked inside a memory I couldn’t forget.
That said, the pacing in the middle sometimes faltered under its own ambition, lingering in places where I wanted propulsion and rushing at times when I wanted stillness. A few world-building threads felt like echoes of something grander just out of reach, leaving me wishing for a bit more grounding in the chaotic magic of it all. These aren’t fatal flaws, just minor cracks in an otherwise compelling world.
But make no mistake, this is a book that will shake you. If you read Ashes of a Shattered Soul looking for comfort, look elsewhere. If you read it ready to feel, to grieve, love, and wrestle with what it means to be broken yet not defeated, you’ll walk away changed in the best possible way. This a story that doesn’t just break hearts but understands them.
I received this book as an ARC from the author and this is my honest review.
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