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Echoes of The Lunthra
Not yet published
Expected 28 Apr 26The Law of Haelen is absolute. Bind your soul by the twenty-first solstice or be claimed by the Veythar, shadow-wrought reapers who feast on the essence of the unbound.
Kaelia Vaser has watched too many people choose safe, loveless bonds just to survive. The High Court calls it protection. She calls it surrender. When her own solstice arrives, Kaelia swears she will not trade her soul for a signature on a ledger.
But as the day draws closer, her soul awakens, and it does not reach for any mortal suitor. It screams for the one being she was raised to fear.
Talon Veyr is Master of the Veythar, a lethal bridge between realms and the very reaper meant to claim Kaelia if she fails. He is shadow, power, and ruin made flesh, and the one being her soul recognizes as its equal.
Their connection is not merely forbidden. It is impossible.
Because if a child of Haelen binds themselves to a reaper, the truth buried beneath centuries of doctrine will surface. The High Court’s authority will fracture. The barrier between realms will weaken.
And the Veythar will no longer remain in the dark.
Now Kaelia must decide whether to secure a loveless bond and preserve the lie, or step into Umbral at Talon’s side and risk igniting a reckoning that could tear both worlds apart.
A sweeping tale of forbidden desire and ancient magic, perfect for fans of A Court of Thorns and Roses and Fourth Wing.
Kaelia Vaser has watched too many people choose safe, loveless bonds just to survive. The High Court calls it protection. She calls it surrender. When her own solstice arrives, Kaelia swears she will not trade her soul for a signature on a ledger.
But as the day draws closer, her soul awakens, and it does not reach for any mortal suitor. It screams for the one being she was raised to fear.
Talon Veyr is Master of the Veythar, a lethal bridge between realms and the very reaper meant to claim Kaelia if she fails. He is shadow, power, and ruin made flesh, and the one being her soul recognizes as its equal.
Their connection is not merely forbidden. It is impossible.
Because if a child of Haelen binds themselves to a reaper, the truth buried beneath centuries of doctrine will surface. The High Court’s authority will fracture. The barrier between realms will weaken.
And the Veythar will no longer remain in the dark.
Now Kaelia must decide whether to secure a loveless bond and preserve the lie, or step into Umbral at Talon’s side and risk igniting a reckoning that could tear both worlds apart.
A sweeping tale of forbidden desire and ancient magic, perfect for fans of A Court of Thorns and Roses and Fourth Wing.
- GenresFantasy
393 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication April 28, 2026
13 people are currently reading
135 people want to read
About the author
Tala Khalil
1 book17 followersTala is a debut author who spends her days wandering through worlds that don’t exist and her nights writing them into existence. With a heart rooted in magic and a mind fuelled by "what ifs," she crafts stories where epic stakes meet intimate heartbeats.
When she isn’t lost in her own imagination, you can find her with a hot chocolate in hand and her nose in a book, or spending time with her four dogs.
When she isn’t lost in her own imagination, you can find her with a hot chocolate in hand and her nose in a book, or spending time with her four dogs.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
I finished this ARC read in under 24 hours! The world building is insane, I was hooked from the first chapter. The spicy relationship was a definite highlight! While the story was fast-paced and captivating, I wished for more character development before the most important part of the story, especially with Talon. Getting to know the characters better would have deepened the emotional impact. But I hope it’s intentional and the next books are going to hold more stories and plot twists. Other than that, the world is incredibly interesting, and unique and I seriously can't wait for book two!
Read
March 22, 2026I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review 🫶
I really admire indie authors and how much work they do to publish their books. That being said, this book was unfortunately not for me.
Taste in writing is subjective (most of the time) but I felt like it was very choppy. The chapters are all pretty much one scene long which made everything feel very episodic in a strange way, with a lack of any buildup to anything. Very few descriptions of what was actually happening or how our protagonist was feeling, or even just descriptions of the world. There was no real imagery or anything to grasp onto to feel like I could truly envision this world. Which leads me into my next issue: The lack of worldbuilding. There’s a glossary at the beginning of this book but when these places, names, and concepts are brought up, there’s very little, if any, actual in-text explanation or expansion on these things so I kept getting confused and had to flip back and forth between the glossary and the book, which then kept pulling me out of the story. The magic system and the purpose of these bonds and why certain bonds are forbidden are very vague and sometimes it felt like I had to fill in the blanks myself.
Characters are introduced with no real information on who they are or how they serve the story. A lord was introduced and all I could think was “what is he lord of?” because we got no context except his title. It felt like the world was very…small, like all of this is happening inside one single town because of how contained all of the events were. Places are mentioned but I had no idea if these were separate cities, if these people were allies or foes, where they even are, or what they look like. I eventually got the hang of it, but again, that was only because I had to keep going back to the glossary because the book itself didn’t talk about it. Obviously because this is self-published I’m not expecting a super detailed illustration of a map, but I would at least expect the writing to explain it.
Our protagonist and the main love interest are okay. I’m not a huge fan of two people being drawn together just because fate says so, and there’s a lot of that here with no time for the couple to actually get to know each other and learn to care about each other on their own. I don’t really understand why they have feelings for each other at all except that they have a bond. The relationship itself is very…insta-love, and while that doesn’t work for me personally, it does for some people so far be it from me to knock anyone’s preferences. However, there wasn’t really any depth to the characters. I get the MMC is supposed to be a mystery, so I can understand that to a point, but this book is written in first person and I have very little insight into Kaelia as a character. During moments that are supposed to be intense, she doesn’t really talk about how she feels about any of it, and because the chapters only last a single scene, by the time we move on to the next chapter, she never reflects on what’s happened or has any inner monologue to make me feel attached to her. We’re told she’s stubborn but little else. Her characterization felt very inconsistent—in the beginning, she doesn’t want to be bound because she sees it as surrender, but then she does because she wants to survive, and then she tries to resist Talon but the moment they kiss, she has no problem abandoning everything to be with him and not only does she not have any problem adjusting to her choices despite being very serious ones, she also has a complete shift in mindset with no trouble at all and has no issue letting go of everything she’s ever believed without any internal conflict.
The story itself just unfolds in a very strange way where things happen so easily and so quickly, seemingly just to move things along—which, yeah, a plot should move forward, but nothing ever feels like it has any impact because the tone or weight of the writing never actually changes or indicates that something important is happening, whether that’s important to the plot or important to Kaelia’s character development. Specifically the character of Hera felt so…out of place for reasons I can’t really talk about without spoilers. More than anything, because the writing is kind of just going down a list of events that happen without delving into the protagonist’s thoughts or feelings, I finished this book more confused than when I was just a few chapters in.
I really admire indie authors and how much work they do to publish their books. That being said, this book was unfortunately not for me.
Taste in writing is subjective (most of the time) but I felt like it was very choppy. The chapters are all pretty much one scene long which made everything feel very episodic in a strange way, with a lack of any buildup to anything. Very few descriptions of what was actually happening or how our protagonist was feeling, or even just descriptions of the world. There was no real imagery or anything to grasp onto to feel like I could truly envision this world. Which leads me into my next issue: The lack of worldbuilding. There’s a glossary at the beginning of this book but when these places, names, and concepts are brought up, there’s very little, if any, actual in-text explanation or expansion on these things so I kept getting confused and had to flip back and forth between the glossary and the book, which then kept pulling me out of the story. The magic system and the purpose of these bonds and why certain bonds are forbidden are very vague and sometimes it felt like I had to fill in the blanks myself.
Characters are introduced with no real information on who they are or how they serve the story. A lord was introduced and all I could think was “what is he lord of?” because we got no context except his title. It felt like the world was very…small, like all of this is happening inside one single town because of how contained all of the events were. Places are mentioned but I had no idea if these were separate cities, if these people were allies or foes, where they even are, or what they look like. I eventually got the hang of it, but again, that was only because I had to keep going back to the glossary because the book itself didn’t talk about it. Obviously because this is self-published I’m not expecting a super detailed illustration of a map, but I would at least expect the writing to explain it.
Our protagonist and the main love interest are okay. I’m not a huge fan of two people being drawn together just because fate says so, and there’s a lot of that here with no time for the couple to actually get to know each other and learn to care about each other on their own. I don’t really understand why they have feelings for each other at all except that they have a bond. The relationship itself is very…insta-love, and while that doesn’t work for me personally, it does for some people so far be it from me to knock anyone’s preferences. However, there wasn’t really any depth to the characters. I get the MMC is supposed to be a mystery, so I can understand that to a point, but this book is written in first person and I have very little insight into Kaelia as a character. During moments that are supposed to be intense, she doesn’t really talk about how she feels about any of it, and because the chapters only last a single scene, by the time we move on to the next chapter, she never reflects on what’s happened or has any inner monologue to make me feel attached to her. We’re told she’s stubborn but little else. Her characterization felt very inconsistent—in the beginning, she doesn’t want to be bound because she sees it as surrender, but then she does because she wants to survive, and then she tries to resist Talon but the moment they kiss, she has no problem abandoning everything to be with him and not only does she not have any problem adjusting to her choices despite being very serious ones, she also has a complete shift in mindset with no trouble at all and has no issue letting go of everything she’s ever believed without any internal conflict.
The story itself just unfolds in a very strange way where things happen so easily and so quickly, seemingly just to move things along—which, yeah, a plot should move forward, but nothing ever feels like it has any impact because the tone or weight of the writing never actually changes or indicates that something important is happening, whether that’s important to the plot or important to Kaelia’s character development. Specifically the character of Hera felt so…out of place for reasons I can’t really talk about without spoilers. More than anything, because the writing is kind of just going down a list of events that happen without delving into the protagonist’s thoughts or feelings, I finished this book more confused than when I was just a few chapters in.
Review of advance copy received from Author
3.5⭐
I recieved this as an ARC from the author for an honest review... So here it is:
Okay, so this book did get me out my reading slump... I tried 2 other books that did not manage it... so thank you to this book firstly!
I actually really enjoyed this. I liked the plot and the characters - especially Talon, the whole protective MMC and touch her and I will cause havoc, she is mine. Yes please (I wouldnt have opposed to some more 'touch her and die' elements though - this didnt reach that). There were some aspects that actually crushed my soul - I felt so much for him, I could have hugged him and never let go. Kaelia - I liked her in the end but my god she annoyed me in the beginning. I hated the whole not accepting what she was dealt with scenario, it got old quickly. However once she accepted things, I liked her, she did grow on me. I liked the fact she challenged as well, sometimes... sometimes it was childish. I also loved the whole soulmates, fated mates, forbidden love aspects - they are some of my favourite tropes and this didnt disappoint in those areas!
So it did take me a while to get into it, at least half the book to fully invest - I think it was because I didnt like Kaelia at the start though. I also found the pacing a bit off in some areas, and some times it was hard to follow what was happening - there are some areas that are a little vague. Overall I feel more detail would have helped in the book as a whole, it would have created more depth to the storyline and to the characters. Having seen the fanart from the author - I failed to see that image in my head when reading it.
I am very excited for a book two though, I would like to read more about Talon and Kaelia. I want to know what happens next..
I recieved this as an ARC from the author for an honest review... So here it is:
Okay, so this book did get me out my reading slump... I tried 2 other books that did not manage it... so thank you to this book firstly!
I actually really enjoyed this. I liked the plot and the characters - especially Talon, the whole protective MMC and touch her and I will cause havoc, she is mine. Yes please (I wouldnt have opposed to some more 'touch her and die' elements though - this didnt reach that). There were some aspects that actually crushed my soul - I felt so much for him, I could have hugged him and never let go. Kaelia - I liked her in the end but my god she annoyed me in the beginning. I hated the whole not accepting what she was dealt with scenario, it got old quickly. However once she accepted things, I liked her, she did grow on me. I liked the fact she challenged as well, sometimes... sometimes it was childish. I also loved the whole soulmates, fated mates, forbidden love aspects - they are some of my favourite tropes and this didnt disappoint in those areas!
So it did take me a while to get into it, at least half the book to fully invest - I think it was because I didnt like Kaelia at the start though. I also found the pacing a bit off in some areas, and some times it was hard to follow what was happening - there are some areas that are a little vague. Overall I feel more detail would have helped in the book as a whole, it would have created more depth to the storyline and to the characters. Having seen the fanart from the author - I failed to see that image in my head when reading it.
I am very excited for a book two though, I would like to read more about Talon and Kaelia. I want to know what happens next..
Read
March 25, 2026I was given the opportunity to read this as an ARC in return for an honest review.
And I honestly cannot give this book more than three stars…
Therefore, I will not give it a rating..
This book has so much potential.
The first couple of chapters had me reading so fast! It was thrilling and exciting and totally captivating.
I was able to overlook the gaps or continuity issues. But as it continued, I was getting a little lost.
The relationships all seem surface level. I don’t know anything about any of these characters, except for names and kind of jobs. Bater’s dialogue was chef’s kiss. But Neya was giving weird “I want your man” vibes until she suddenly wasn’t???
Also, the prose are really nice. There are some beautiful descriptions, but I honestly have no idea what I’m supposed to envision when reading this book. One second I thought they lived inside / under the mountains, and then she said she was looking at the night sky. There’s a creature that sounds massive and then sounds absolutely tiny… it just seems like all the details are supposed to be convenient, and not cemented into some form of reality.
The bond, aside from “completing” them feels lacking… it makes them… horny??? If my partner can’t sense that I’m up to my BS again, or in actual danger, then I don’t want to be bonded 😂 also, the use of the word “engorged” made me cackle.
Finally the end had me screaming. They could’ve sidestepped a whole journey with 1 singular passage??? How long is a season??? Definitely not 5 weeks. And “I will protect you” yeah? Like the way you protected your “kin”? Sit down, shadow daddy. You’ve been nothing but hot.
And I honestly cannot give this book more than three stars…
Therefore, I will not give it a rating..
This book has so much potential.
The first couple of chapters had me reading so fast! It was thrilling and exciting and totally captivating.
I was able to overlook the gaps or continuity issues. But as it continued, I was getting a little lost.
The relationships all seem surface level. I don’t know anything about any of these characters, except for names and kind of jobs. Bater’s dialogue was chef’s kiss. But Neya was giving weird “I want your man” vibes until she suddenly wasn’t???
Also, the prose are really nice. There are some beautiful descriptions, but I honestly have no idea what I’m supposed to envision when reading this book. One second I thought they lived inside / under the mountains, and then she said she was looking at the night sky. There’s a creature that sounds massive and then sounds absolutely tiny… it just seems like all the details are supposed to be convenient, and not cemented into some form of reality.
The bond, aside from “completing” them feels lacking… it makes them… horny??? If my partner can’t sense that I’m up to my BS again, or in actual danger, then I don’t want to be bonded 😂 also, the use of the word “engorged” made me cackle.
Finally the end had me screaming. They could’ve sidestepped a whole journey with 1 singular passage??? How long is a season??? Definitely not 5 weeks. And “I will protect you” yeah? Like the way you protected your “kin”? Sit down, shadow daddy. You’ve been nothing but hot.
March 10, 2026
𝗔 𝟱/𝟱 𝗥𝗢𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗔𝗦𝗬 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗! 🔮
✨ Tropes & Micro Tropes
• Fated mates
• Touch her and die
• Yearning MMC
• Strong FMC
• Black magic
• Virgin FMC (implied)
⚠️ Content Warnings
• Explicit 🌶️ scenes
• On-page physical assault to FMC
• Slight cliffhanger
📖 My Review
I honestly wasn’t expecting to love this book as much as I did. I’m usually not a huge fantasy reader, but after receiving this as an ARC I decided to give it a chance—and I’m so glad I did.
For a debut novel, the level of detail and immersive writing from this author genuinely surprised me. The world felt rich and alive, and there were so many moments where I felt completely pulled into the story. When a book makes you feel like you’re actually living inside the pages, that’s when it goes from a good read to a five-star read for me.
The characters were engaging and the tension kept me invested the whole way through. I especially loved the dynamic between the main characters and the emotional pull behind their connection.
There were a few subplots that felt a little unresolved, but I’m assuming that was intentional and will carry over into the next books in the series.
Overall, I’m really excited to see where this story goes next because the world and characters have so much potential. I’ll definitely be picking up book two. I need to know what happens next 👀
𝙄 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙣 𝘼𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝘾𝙤𝙥𝙮 (𝘼𝙍𝘾) 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧 𝙞𝙣 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙣 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬.
✨ Tropes & Micro Tropes
• Fated mates
• Touch her and die
• Yearning MMC
• Strong FMC
• Black magic
• Virgin FMC (implied)
⚠️ Content Warnings
• Explicit 🌶️ scenes
• On-page physical assault to FMC
• Slight cliffhanger
📖 My Review
I honestly wasn’t expecting to love this book as much as I did. I’m usually not a huge fantasy reader, but after receiving this as an ARC I decided to give it a chance—and I’m so glad I did.
For a debut novel, the level of detail and immersive writing from this author genuinely surprised me. The world felt rich and alive, and there were so many moments where I felt completely pulled into the story. When a book makes you feel like you’re actually living inside the pages, that’s when it goes from a good read to a five-star read for me.
The characters were engaging and the tension kept me invested the whole way through. I especially loved the dynamic between the main characters and the emotional pull behind their connection.
There were a few subplots that felt a little unresolved, but I’m assuming that was intentional and will carry over into the next books in the series.
Overall, I’m really excited to see where this story goes next because the world and characters have so much potential. I’ll definitely be picking up book two. I need to know what happens next 👀
𝙄 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙚𝙞𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙖𝙣 𝘼𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝘾𝙤𝙥𝙮 (𝘼𝙍𝘾) 𝙤𝙛 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙪𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙧 𝙞𝙣 𝙚𝙭𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙣 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚𝙬.
Review of advance copy
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I was IMMEDIATELY hooked in the first chapter! As I was introduced to the MCs I knew I was going to enjoy this book. The fact that everyone was afraid of Talon but Kaelia stood up to him, made my heart happy instantly.
The tension between the two of them, the forbidden aspects of it, and the deep resonation of how they were drawn to each other was the perfect combination. Don't even get me started on the spice of it all... whew! LOL
The struggle of power between the rulers of Haelen & Veythar & the lies that had been told were really interesting and I found myself hoping that more and more would be discovered as I read. The pace of the book was really good & I felt like it had a great balance of world-building and plot movement.
I still have so many questions, but also so much was resolved by the end of the book. I love a good cliffhanger as much as the next reader, but its nice to see things conclude as well. Or have they? I can't wait to find out!
I was IMMEDIATELY hooked in the first chapter! As I was introduced to the MCs I knew I was going to enjoy this book. The fact that everyone was afraid of Talon but Kaelia stood up to him, made my heart happy instantly.
The tension between the two of them, the forbidden aspects of it, and the deep resonation of how they were drawn to each other was the perfect combination. Don't even get me started on the spice of it all... whew! LOL
The struggle of power between the rulers of Haelen & Veythar & the lies that had been told were really interesting and I found myself hoping that more and more would be discovered as I read. The pace of the book was really good & I felt like it had a great balance of world-building and plot movement.
I still have so many questions, but also so much was resolved by the end of the book. I love a good cliffhanger as much as the next reader, but its nice to see things conclude as well. Or have they? I can't wait to find out!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Review of advance copy received from Author.
The three stars is for the potential of the worlbuilding and the descriptions in the first few chapters that had me hooked.
Echoes of The Lunthra is a very intriguing story, within a very unique world. The story is fast-paced and easy to read. But there are a few things missing. First the worldbuilding could be better, as in to have more explanation while reading it and let us dive more into the surrounding environment not only the love story, I hope that this will change in the second book. The second thing is that we need more character information, we barely know anything besides the FMC, even the MMC we've seen just the surface, again I think this will change in the second book. Lastly, the love story could have a bit more depth.
I genuinely think that the things missing can be intentional, leaving them to get explored further as the story is progressing, as it often happens in romantasy books. I would read the second book even though the rating is on the lower side.
The three stars is for the potential of the worlbuilding and the descriptions in the first few chapters that had me hooked.
Echoes of The Lunthra is a very intriguing story, within a very unique world. The story is fast-paced and easy to read. But there are a few things missing. First the worldbuilding could be better, as in to have more explanation while reading it and let us dive more into the surrounding environment not only the love story, I hope that this will change in the second book. The second thing is that we need more character information, we barely know anything besides the FMC, even the MMC we've seen just the surface, again I think this will change in the second book. Lastly, the love story could have a bit more depth.
I genuinely think that the things missing can be intentional, leaving them to get explored further as the story is progressing, as it often happens in romantasy books. I would read the second book even though the rating is on the lower side.
Review of advance copy received from Author
‼️Review from an advanced reader’s copy‼️
This book is super fast paced! I would say it fits the category of a romance novel set in a fantasy world and with fantasy elements. The romance is definitely the driving force of this book, so if that’s what you’re interested in then this book is definitely for you! I think the best part of the book is how unique the overall idea is. I have never quite read anything like this, though there are definitely popular trope elements being portrayed on page. I wish we got a little more character development before the characters got together, but I think that was just the nature of the plot. Additionally, I wish the world was a little more fleshed out. There were some elements that were confusing, especially when it came to the bonds and why they’re needed. Perhaps these things will be explored more in book 2. Overall, a fun and quick read for romantasy lovers! 3.5 stars, an excellent idea for a debut novel!
This book is super fast paced! I would say it fits the category of a romance novel set in a fantasy world and with fantasy elements. The romance is definitely the driving force of this book, so if that’s what you’re interested in then this book is definitely for you! I think the best part of the book is how unique the overall idea is. I have never quite read anything like this, though there are definitely popular trope elements being portrayed on page. I wish we got a little more character development before the characters got together, but I think that was just the nature of the plot. Additionally, I wish the world was a little more fleshed out. There were some elements that were confusing, especially when it came to the bonds and why they’re needed. Perhaps these things will be explored more in book 2. Overall, a fun and quick read for romantasy lovers! 3.5 stars, an excellent idea for a debut novel!
Review of advance copy
3.5- Book 1 of The Sayelbound series, this is about Kaelia and Talon. Their bond is forbidden, and they are about to break the rules. The storyline was interesting, but felt like the couple was divided most of the time, only discussing things when things came up. I appreciated they made a slight change in a world that’s been divided.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Okay, so, I really enjoyed this!
It was a lot more different to what I am used to reading fantasy-wise, but it surprised me!
The world-building was great, and I loved how we got to watch Talon and Kaelia's connection strengthen throughout.
I seriously could not put it down and read it in a single day.
Ty for sending me a digital arc to review <3
It was a lot more different to what I am used to reading fantasy-wise, but it surprised me!
The world-building was great, and I loved how we got to watch Talon and Kaelia's connection strengthen throughout.
I seriously could not put it down and read it in a single day.
Ty for sending me a digital arc to review <3
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews