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Breach Wars #1
The Inheritance
We are at war. The interdimensional invasion brought us unimaginable suffering, but it also awoke talents slumbering deep within us, a means to repel and destroy our enemy. Every day new gates open, leading to breaches filled with monsters and valuable resources. If you are a Talent, your country needs you. The world needs you. Be the hero you were born to be.
Adaline is a Talent. Ten years ago, she had a happy marriage and a job she loved. The invasion shattered both. Now she works for the government, searching the breaches for magic metals and medicine to help Earth repel an interdimensional enemy. Two kids, one cat, bills, benefits, mortgage and school tuition...Risking her life became routine.
She had gone into the dimensional gates hundreds of times. She was always well protected. This time everything goes wrong. Now Ada is trapped in the labyrinth of alien caves unlike any other. Her only companion is a scared German Shepherd named Bear. Together they must uncover the breach's secrets and escape, because Ada promised her children that she will come home.
The future of humanity depends on it.
Adaline is a Talent. Ten years ago, she had a happy marriage and a job she loved. The invasion shattered both. Now she works for the government, searching the breaches for magic metals and medicine to help Earth repel an interdimensional enemy. Two kids, one cat, bills, benefits, mortgage and school tuition...Risking her life became routine.
She had gone into the dimensional gates hundreds of times. She was always well protected. This time everything goes wrong. Now Ada is trapped in the labyrinth of alien caves unlike any other. Her only companion is a scared German Shepherd named Bear. Together they must uncover the breach's secrets and escape, because Ada promised her children that she will come home.
The future of humanity depends on it.
280 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 10, 2025
729 people are currently reading
2877 people want to read
About the author
Ilona Andrews
146 books32.9k followersIlona Andrews is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing team. Ilona is a native-born Russian and Gordon is a former communications sergeant in the U.S. Army. Contrary to popular belief, Gordon was never an intelligence officer with a license to kill, and Ilona was never the mysterious Russian spy who seduced him. They met in college, in English Composition 101, where Ilona got a better grade. (Gordon is still sore about that.)
Gordon and Ilona currently reside in Oregon with their two children, three dogs and a cat. They have co-authored two series, the bestselling urban fantasy of Kate Daniels and romantic urban fantasy of The Edge.
Gordon and Ilona currently reside in Oregon with their two children, three dogs and a cat. They have co-authored two series, the bestselling urban fantasy of Kate Daniels and romantic urban fantasy of The Edge.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 598 reviews
August 19, 2025
I've been going through a book slump for the last six months. My work schedule is crazy, I'm dead on my feet, and fall asleep the second I pick up a book. And yet I stayed up until 3 a.m. to finish this one. Wheeeee!
Ada! Bear! Jovo! Elias! That world! That link to the Innkeeper series!Ancient 40+ years old MCs! Those exotic pets creatures! That punch! (The bastard SO had it coming!) That cast of characters! That slightly oversized kitty! That ending! That everything! I want more!
P.S. This is SO much better than the serial version! (In case you were wondering and stuff.)
P.P.S. If we don't get the second installment by the end of the month, I'm unleashing the crustaceans on IA. But hey, no pressure and stuff.
To be published August 11, 2025! It should be available for download on IA's brand new online store on release day! Take that, Amazon!
Ada! Bear! Jovo! Elias! That world! That link to the Innkeeper series!
P.S. This is SO much better than the serial version! (In case you were wondering and stuff.)
P.P.S. If we don't get the second installment by the end of the month, I'm unleashing the crustaceans on IA. But hey, no pressure and stuff.
To be published August 11, 2025! It should be available for download on IA's brand new online store on release day! Take that, Amazon!
September 2, 2025
I cannot wait to dive into this gem!! I have been so patient, I honestly deserve a medal for waiting months. Temptation was real—always lurking—but I never once succumbed to the serial. Nope, I knew I wanted to read it all in one glorious swoop, soaking in every bit without the torture of waiting for the next instalment.
So this week, it’s finally happening. Tuesday is the day I cherish this book… until I'm halfway through and wishing it would never end. :D
Just finished and… WOW!!!
I’m completely obsessed with Ada & Bear—and I can already see a re-read in my future. Honestly, the only thing keeping me sane right now is knowing there’s a second book on the way
So this week, it’s finally happening. Tuesday is the day I cherish this book… until I'm halfway through and wishing it would never end. :D
Just finished and… WOW!!!
I’m completely obsessed with Ada & Bear—and I can already see a re-read in my future. Honestly, the only thing keeping me sane right now is knowing there’s a second book on the way
September 3, 2025
I want to shout it from the rooftops: Ilona Andrews has done it again.
Every time I think Ilona Andrews can't possibly world-build up to their previous standards, they surprise me and blow my socks off. Considered my socks blown.
The Inheritance was the kind of book that got better and better as it went on. It was such an adventure. This book definitely takes place in the same general ecosystem as Clean Sweep, as you might pick up on from little tidbits of the characters the MCs meet along the way, but the story feels wholly its own.
Ilona Andrews always manages to take a female MC and make her such a bad ass without it feeling done. As a middle-aged mom, I appreciated the middle-aged mom as the main character, and I admired her strength, resilience, and perseverance.
I'm obsessed with the enemies and allies that Ada made along the way in her journey. I was so enthralled reading that I devoured it in one sitting. It was that good.
Ilona Andrews, take my money. All of my money. I'm ready to pre-order the next bagillion in the series.
goodreads|instagram
Every time I think Ilona Andrews can't possibly world-build up to their previous standards, they surprise me and blow my socks off. Considered my socks blown.
The Inheritance was the kind of book that got better and better as it went on. It was such an adventure. This book definitely takes place in the same general ecosystem as Clean Sweep, as you might pick up on from little tidbits of the characters the MCs meet along the way, but the story feels wholly its own.
Ilona Andrews always manages to take a female MC and make her such a bad ass without it feeling done. As a middle-aged mom, I appreciated the middle-aged mom as the main character, and I admired her strength, resilience, and perseverance.
I'm obsessed with the enemies and allies that Ada made along the way in her journey. I was so enthralled reading that I devoured it in one sitting. It was that good.
Ilona Andrews, take my money. All of my money. I'm ready to pre-order the next bagillion in the series.
goodreads|instagram
August 15, 2025
Well, today I am a sleep-deprived mess because I stayed up until 3am finishing this book. I tried to make myself quit around midnight, but it was a complete fail. Anyway!
This is one of my favorite authors (or I guess I should say two of my favorite authors), so it isn't a huge surprise that I loved it. I held off on reading the serial version they released of this story on their website because I'm just horribly impatient once I start a thing and know the characters. After their first Innkeeper serial, which I both loved and died a bit inside weekly at having to pause after just one chapter each week, I decided to just hold off for the whole thing to land and get published. (Though my sleep schedule would probably be happier if I read the serial version, ha!)
I really loved it. It is a fun mash-up of UF and sci-fi, with a some flavors of dystopia (not entirely - society didn't collapse, but the whole world was changed by these gates) and even some of the dungeon crawl RPG tone at times.
The basic set-up is that one day these holes/gates popped up all over the globe. They were kind of freaky but didn't seem to do much - you could see inside them and they were a gate to a different landscape, something alien. The world panicked at first, but then a month went by and nothing happened...so everyone just went about life as usual, slightly annoyed at the new traffic hazard but otherwise unimpacted. Until about 8 weeks after the gates appeared, when suddenly monsters started spewing out of them. Basically, the gates are the launch of an invasion. The attackers have created these kinds of pocket spaces, and filled them with monsters. There's an anchor inside that seems to gather energy for however long it takes (depending on the size of the pocket space, or something like that), and then opens the Earth-side gate so all the monsters can pour out. The monsters seem to be the first wave of invasion, softening up the planet before the aliens arrive to conquer. At the start of the book, this has been going on for 10 years, with humanity fighting to stop the incursions. They're stopped by sending a team into the gate and destroying the anchor before it can finish charging, so the monsters never get released onto Earth. Though the team has to fight through said monsters to get to the anchor, so it isn't exactly a walk in an alien park.
Two other things have kept humanity from outright losing this war.
1 - After those first gates popped open, some humans spontaneously developed superpowers. The world now calls those people Talents. Talents are widely varied - some people have combat talents, some have healing talents, some have cool utility talents like the ability to dowse for useful ores, etc. Which leads us to ...
2 - We realized these pocket spaces are filled with useful things that can really up our game, stuff like rare metals, plants that have advanced our healing, etc.
So now the mission each time a gate appears is two-fold. Mission 1 is sending a combat team in to shatter the anchor, and mission 2 is sending a foraging team in to grab up whatever good things are in the pocket space before it folds.
Our FMC Ada is an Assessor Talent - she can look around a space and spot the usefulness of everything in it (like, she sees them glow in colors - yellow is dangerous, red is useful), and additionally she can look at a thing and immediately know its use (like, this plant will make a super advanced medicine, this ore is unbreakable). She's part of the foraging mission, obviously.
Anyway, things go to shit in the current gate dive, and the book is Ada and her dog (Bear) trying to survive in this alien cave system and find the way out, even as the whole experience is changing them on a fundamental level.
At first I thought Ada had a kind of lame superpower, but let me tell you, in a survival situation, that's the best power to have. She could instantly know that this is safe to eat, this plant has pollen that will kill us if we breathe it, etc. Of course, she'd still die without some combat ability, but as I said, their time in this gate - their exposure to things - evolves both Ada and Bear pretty dramatically.
I really loved the book, and I'm so thrilled that the authors have said there will definitely be a sequel - there's so much left to do and explore in this world, it feels like we've barely gotten started! Also, Ada barely gets to meet the person I assume is the MMC (Elias), so there's that to look forward to. And I can't wait to see how Ada keeps all the ways she has changed secret. It would also be a shame for her to go back to a simple government Assessor job - I want to see her be the badass she has become!
However, this book has a satisfying ending, so even though it will likely be a long wait to book 2, we're not left dangling.
This is one of my favorite authors (or I guess I should say two of my favorite authors), so it isn't a huge surprise that I loved it. I held off on reading the serial version they released of this story on their website because I'm just horribly impatient once I start a thing and know the characters. After their first Innkeeper serial, which I both loved and died a bit inside weekly at having to pause after just one chapter each week, I decided to just hold off for the whole thing to land and get published. (Though my sleep schedule would probably be happier if I read the serial version, ha!)
I really loved it. It is a fun mash-up of UF and sci-fi, with a some flavors of dystopia (not entirely - society didn't collapse, but the whole world was changed by these gates) and even some of the dungeon crawl RPG tone at times.
The basic set-up is that one day these holes/gates popped up all over the globe. They were kind of freaky but didn't seem to do much - you could see inside them and they were a gate to a different landscape, something alien. The world panicked at first, but then a month went by and nothing happened...so everyone just went about life as usual, slightly annoyed at the new traffic hazard but otherwise unimpacted. Until about 8 weeks after the gates appeared, when suddenly monsters started spewing out of them. Basically, the gates are the launch of an invasion. The attackers have created these kinds of pocket spaces, and filled them with monsters. There's an anchor inside that seems to gather energy for however long it takes (depending on the size of the pocket space, or something like that), and then opens the Earth-side gate so all the monsters can pour out. The monsters seem to be the first wave of invasion, softening up the planet before the aliens arrive to conquer. At the start of the book, this has been going on for 10 years, with humanity fighting to stop the incursions. They're stopped by sending a team into the gate and destroying the anchor before it can finish charging, so the monsters never get released onto Earth. Though the team has to fight through said monsters to get to the anchor, so it isn't exactly a walk in an alien park.
Two other things have kept humanity from outright losing this war.
1 - After those first gates popped open, some humans spontaneously developed superpowers. The world now calls those people Talents. Talents are widely varied - some people have combat talents, some have healing talents, some have cool utility talents like the ability to dowse for useful ores, etc. Which leads us to ...
2 - We realized these pocket spaces are filled with useful things that can really up our game, stuff like rare metals, plants that have advanced our healing, etc.
So now the mission each time a gate appears is two-fold. Mission 1 is sending a combat team in to shatter the anchor, and mission 2 is sending a foraging team in to grab up whatever good things are in the pocket space before it folds.
Our FMC Ada is an Assessor Talent - she can look around a space and spot the usefulness of everything in it (like, she sees them glow in colors - yellow is dangerous, red is useful), and additionally she can look at a thing and immediately know its use (like, this plant will make a super advanced medicine, this ore is unbreakable). She's part of the foraging mission, obviously.
Anyway, things go to shit in the current gate dive, and the book is Ada and her dog (Bear) trying to survive in this alien cave system and find the way out, even as the whole experience is changing them on a fundamental level.
At first I thought Ada had a kind of lame superpower, but let me tell you, in a survival situation, that's the best power to have. She could instantly know that this is safe to eat, this plant has pollen that will kill us if we breathe it, etc. Of course, she'd still die without some combat ability, but as I said, their time in this gate - their exposure to things - evolves both Ada and Bear pretty dramatically.
I really loved the book, and I'm so thrilled that the authors have said there will definitely be a sequel - there's so much left to do and explore in this world, it feels like we've barely gotten started! Also, Ada barely gets to meet the person I assume is the MMC (Elias), so there's that to look forward to. And I can't wait to see how Ada keeps all the ways she has changed secret. It would also be a shame for her to go back to a simple government Assessor job - I want to see her be the badass she has become!
However, this book has a satisfying ending, so even though it will likely be a long wait to book 2, we're not left dangling.
August 15, 2025
Stars: 5 out of 5
I am not ashamed to say that the writing duo behind Ilona Andrews books is my favorite contemporary writers. Seriously, I don't think there is a book by them that I read (and I read almost all of them) that I didn't love. This one is no exception.
The Inheritance takes place in the same universe as Innkeeper and the Edge series, though on a parallel Earth that is, it seems, loosely attached to Dina's world (at least to Baha-Char).
And it stars an absolutely badass female protagonist. Ada isn't a fighter. In fact, as Ellias would say, she is the definition of a non-combatant. Her talent is to come into a breach once the fighting has been done, determine what rare minerals or biologicals are there, and tell the mining crew where to dig (or what to pick up). But boy does she get an upgrade in this particular breach...
I won't touch any more on that, because that would spoil the story, but let's just say she is a different person when she comes out, all the while staying true to what has always driven all her actions - keep her children safe and ensure that they inherit a better world than the one she has to live in.
And all through this story, Ada is absolutely human and relatable. I understood her reactions and her motivations, and I admired her determination to push ahead to matter what, even though she had to make some hard choices. The presence of Bear, the ever-awesome German Shepherd turned killing machine also helped.
Ellias is just as interesting a character, though we got less of him in this book, which was understandable. This is Ada's story. Ellias mostly had to sit on his butt and fume about the delay of getting back into the breach (and destroy a desk or two in his impatience). I can't wait to see how their relationship evolves in book two. Once they overcome their suspicions, they could be unstoppable.
It was also so satisfying to see London get a good portion of karma by the end. I reread that passage several times just for the pleasure of seeing him fly 20 feet backwards.
All in all, the House Andrews delivers yet another fantastic book in an original and interesting world... And now we have to wait a couple years before we get the sequel.
I am not ashamed to say that the writing duo behind Ilona Andrews books is my favorite contemporary writers. Seriously, I don't think there is a book by them that I read (and I read almost all of them) that I didn't love. This one is no exception.
The Inheritance takes place in the same universe as Innkeeper and the Edge series, though on a parallel Earth that is, it seems, loosely attached to Dina's world (at least to Baha-Char).
And it stars an absolutely badass female protagonist. Ada isn't a fighter. In fact, as Ellias would say, she is the definition of a non-combatant. Her talent is to come into a breach once the fighting has been done, determine what rare minerals or biologicals are there, and tell the mining crew where to dig (or what to pick up). But boy does she get an upgrade in this particular breach...
I won't touch any more on that, because that would spoil the story, but let's just say she is a different person when she comes out, all the while staying true to what has always driven all her actions - keep her children safe and ensure that they inherit a better world than the one she has to live in.
And all through this story, Ada is absolutely human and relatable. I understood her reactions and her motivations, and I admired her determination to push ahead to matter what, even though she had to make some hard choices. The presence of Bear, the ever-awesome German Shepherd turned killing machine also helped.
Ellias is just as interesting a character, though we got less of him in this book, which was understandable. This is Ada's story. Ellias mostly had to sit on his butt and fume about the delay of getting back into the breach (and destroy a desk or two in his impatience). I can't wait to see how their relationship evolves in book two. Once they overcome their suspicions, they could be unstoppable.
It was also so satisfying to see London get a good portion of karma by the end. I reread that passage several times just for the pleasure of seeing him fly 20 feet backwards.
All in all, the House Andrews delivers yet another fantastic book in an original and interesting world... And now we have to wait a couple years before we get the sequel.
August 15, 2025
I love this writing duo so it was no surprise that I devoured this book. I somehow had checked out and had missed this one so it was a more than pleasant surprise for my August. The main character was really interesting and I was relieved to read that this will be at least the first of two books. I really loved the dog and aliens characters as well. The world building was good and I would like to see more in this world. Ada works with a guild to enter the gates and mine them for important resources. She has a helpful talent and is doing her part. When everything goes wrong on one expedition she is left behind and has to fight and explore her way home with only a dog as an ally.
August 16, 2025
This is like the most positive 3 star review ever I swear. It’s like a rly good 3.5 maybe. It’s just that this book is 90% badass mom goes alien monster smashing with a giant german shepherd animal companion. That’s really it. It is also, exactly what I was looking for.
I wanted a pedal to the metal Ilona Andrews palette cleanser after my last book (the jasad crown) ruined my life. A world where Earth experiences random alien portals that open up and spew monsters if not infiltrated and closed promptly? Perfect.
The short length of this story (almost novella?) was ideal and the non stop action well paced… but my favorite part of Ilona Andrews has always been 50% the nonstop monster mayhem and 50% the fun characters and delightful dynamics between them. We only got half of that formula here. You’re in 2 POVs the entire story (that you know are for sure going to meet eventually) (when they do meet eventually at the very last 10% I was satttt). But the main POV (badass mom) really only talks to her dog throughout her journey (Bear is a very good boy). So just not much to sink my teeth into as fun as all the alien vanquishing and level upping was.
This also kinda had litrpg vibes? I don’t think it actually is but I was getting Dungeon Crawler Carl flashbacks.
Anyway I think this series is going to be super fun. I see the vision and will definitely read more when it comes out.
I wanted a pedal to the metal Ilona Andrews palette cleanser after my last book (the jasad crown) ruined my life. A world where Earth experiences random alien portals that open up and spew monsters if not infiltrated and closed promptly? Perfect.
The short length of this story (almost novella?) was ideal and the non stop action well paced… but my favorite part of Ilona Andrews has always been 50% the nonstop monster mayhem and 50% the fun characters and delightful dynamics between them. We only got half of that formula here. You’re in 2 POVs the entire story (that you know are for sure going to meet eventually) (when they do meet eventually at the very last 10% I was satttt). But the main POV (badass mom) really only talks to her dog throughout her journey (Bear is a very good boy). So just not much to sink my teeth into as fun as all the alien vanquishing and level upping was.
This also kinda had litrpg vibes? I don’t think it actually is but I was getting Dungeon Crawler Carl flashbacks.
Anyway I think this series is going to be super fun. I see the vision and will definitely read more when it comes out.
August 18, 2025
Yes, I did indeed finish this in one day. Their writing just WORKS for my brain.
(Also was that an easter egg link to Innkeeper Chronicles???)
There's a good content warning page in the book itself, but for those who need it here and now: the dog lives.
(Also was that an easter egg link to Innkeeper Chronicles???)
There's a good content warning page in the book itself, but for those who need it here and now: the dog lives.
September 2, 2025
4.5 Stars ⭐️
August 12, 2025
How would you change if life as we know it no longer exists? A portal has opened up in Chicago, and monsters pour forth. Our heroine’s life changes in a blink, and she becomes one of the brave souls who help humanity by braving the breaches to mine them for valuables and close them before too much damage is done. I won’t give away too much, but our heroine’s journey is filled with monsters, wonders, and her faithful dog.
This was such a fantastic read. I’m biased because Ilona Andrews fed it to their adoring fans bit by bit on their blog, but it really shines as a whole, fascinating story. Do yourself a favor and read it now!
This was such a fantastic read. I’m biased because Ilona Andrews fed it to their adoring fans bit by bit on their blog, but it really shines as a whole, fascinating story. Do yourself a favor and read it now!
August 22, 2025
The Andrews could write the yellow pages and I would love reading them. They’re absolute urban fantasy legends in my book (heh, heh)! This specific story is just as creative, fun, nuanced and wonderful as ever. There is a lot of set up, world-building, character introducing and plot understanding throughout, which is SO lovely. IF (I can’t capitalize that enough) this story continues and builds upon everything we learn and discover in this book. And, it leaves so many thing open to future possibilities that It would be such a waste if it doesn’t evolve into a series. (Hint, hint)
September 5, 2025
Halloween Bingo 2025
Ilona Andrews is one of my favourite authors, so when my bookshop emailed to say that this book was waiting for me, I abandoned my adult responsibilities and headed out to claim it. The Andrews started this story on their blog as a serial, doling the words out each Friday. I read it regularly and enjoyed it a lot. But, being smart business people, they didn't provide the ending. For that, purchasing the title was necessary.
Although I had read the available blog chapters (several times, actually), I started over from the beginning. It was lovely torture, but a good refresher. There are two sides to the story: Ada, the Assessor, who is trapped in a breach, a portal to a place with strange, dangerous creatures, poisonous plants, and very valuable resources. Her team is dead, as their protectors abandoned them. Outside the breach, we follow Elias, the head of the company responsible for collecting the resources and protecting the recovery team. He suspects that the snafu is caused by one of his staff—he must find a way to prove it and to recover the bodies of his team.
Ada’s situation is serious, but she has received an unusual gift from a dying woman of an unknown species encountered during the event that caused the disaster. Now she has only the team’s German Shepherd for company. Ada must rely on her Assessor talent, her dog, and her determination to get back to her children to get her back to Earth.
As usual, Ilona and Gordon have polished their prose for the final version. Finding the new bits is always fun. And then that ending! It's not a cliffhanger exactly, but it definitely leaves unanswered questions. The authors have indicated that this is a duology, so eventually I expect to learn where things will go from here. I know, however, that they have a lot of irons in the fire, so I will not hold my breath for the second half of the story. Since I want their other books too, this is win-win waiting as far as I'm concerned.
I read this book for the Urban Decay square of my Halloween Bingo card.
Ilona Andrews is one of my favourite authors, so when my bookshop emailed to say that this book was waiting for me, I abandoned my adult responsibilities and headed out to claim it. The Andrews started this story on their blog as a serial, doling the words out each Friday. I read it regularly and enjoyed it a lot. But, being smart business people, they didn't provide the ending. For that, purchasing the title was necessary.
Although I had read the available blog chapters (several times, actually), I started over from the beginning. It was lovely torture, but a good refresher. There are two sides to the story: Ada, the Assessor, who is trapped in a breach, a portal to a place with strange, dangerous creatures, poisonous plants, and very valuable resources. Her team is dead, as their protectors abandoned them. Outside the breach, we follow Elias, the head of the company responsible for collecting the resources and protecting the recovery team. He suspects that the snafu is caused by one of his staff—he must find a way to prove it and to recover the bodies of his team.
Ada’s situation is serious, but she has received an unusual gift from a dying woman of an unknown species encountered during the event that caused the disaster. Now she has only the team’s German Shepherd for company. Ada must rely on her Assessor talent, her dog, and her determination to get back to her children to get her back to Earth.
As usual, Ilona and Gordon have polished their prose for the final version. Finding the new bits is always fun. And then that ending! It's not a cliffhanger exactly, but it definitely leaves unanswered questions. The authors have indicated that this is a duology, so eventually I expect to learn where things will go from here. I know, however, that they have a lot of irons in the fire, so I will not hold my breath for the second half of the story. Since I want their other books too, this is win-win waiting as far as I'm concerned.
I read this book for the Urban Decay square of my Halloween Bingo card.
August 12, 2025
A new adventure from an established author.
I have been a long-time fan of this author and love most of their work.
At first, I was a bit hesitant about this book since the premise was so different from what I normally read. I shouldn't have doubted. Yes, it is different from Ilona Andrews' other series, but this story is fantastic and still contains much of what makes them such an amazing author. The characters all feel so real, and the story is very engaging.
I'm looking forward to seeing what comes next in this series.
I have been a long-time fan of this author and love most of their work.
At first, I was a bit hesitant about this book since the premise was so different from what I normally read. I shouldn't have doubted. Yes, it is different from Ilona Andrews' other series, but this story is fantastic and still contains much of what makes them such an amazing author. The characters all feel so real, and the story is very engaging.
I'm looking forward to seeing what comes next in this series.
August 14, 2025
Read the free online serial. Can’t wait to read the edited version and the ending!
For millennia, humans were terrified of being eaten. It was the most primal of our fears. It drove our progress and our relentless pursuit of technology. We conquered the planet to keep our children safe from the predators that roamed in the night. We thought we put this anachronistic horror behind us. And then the gates appeared, and the ancient fear came roaring back. Once again, we were scared that monsters would attack and devour our children, and all our weapons and our progress would do nothing to stop it.
Sooo good (as always)!
“Promises must be kept, Bear. Especially to children. I promised Tia I wouldn’t die in this hellhole and I meant it. We are going to survive. We will get out of here if I have to crawl on my hands and knees all the way to that damn gate.”
I was sure it wasn’t normal, but nothing had been since I walked into this breach. Normal had packed its bags and left the building.
For millennia, humans were terrified of being eaten. It was the most primal of our fears. It drove our progress and our relentless pursuit of technology. We conquered the planet to keep our children safe from the predators that roamed in the night. We thought we put this anachronistic horror behind us. And then the gates appeared, and the ancient fear came roaring back. Once again, we were scared that monsters would attack and devour our children, and all our weapons and our progress would do nothing to stop it.
Sooo good (as always)!
“Promises must be kept, Bear. Especially to children. I promised Tia I wouldn’t die in this hellhole and I meant it. We are going to survive. We will get out of here if I have to crawl on my hands and knees all the way to that damn gate.”
I was sure it wasn’t normal, but nothing had been since I walked into this breach. Normal had packed its bags and left the building.
September 4, 2025
Ten years ago, interdimensional gates opened up all over the world and monsters spilled out. The Earth paid a heavy price, but when those gates opened some humans started registering magical gifts called “Talents”. Now these Talents go into the gates into the “Breach” to mine out special resources to help in the fight against these alien forces.
Ada Moore is a Talent working for the government as an Assessor, going down into the gates to look for valuable resources before they shut the gate down. As a single mother of two, she needs the health insurance and other benefits, so she braves the danger and so far, it’s paid off. However, her mission with combat team Cold Chaos, something goes horribly wrong, and she’s stuck with only the team’s German Shepherd, Bear. Ada’s determined to get out and back to her kids, though. Her time in the breach is filled with danger, discovery and change! I loved Bear, her sweet and fierce companion!
Right away I was rooting for Ada! She’s a relatable, normal mom, trying to get by and do the best for her two kids, but she’s also resourceful and smart! Her Talent is a special, complex one! I won’t say more.
Back up top, the leader of Cold Chaos, Elias McFeron, a powerful combat Talent, is trying to find out what happened after the news of the mission gets back to him. Going back down to retrieve the fallen is his priority.
I was so excited to pick up The Inheritance, but I waited until I had a chunk of uninterrupted time because I knew I’d want to read it straight through once starting! Ilona Andrews never fails to deliver an exciting, page-turning adventure with complex, relatable characters! While this storyline does wrap up, there’s so much more to come and I’m eager for the next book!
Ada Moore is a Talent working for the government as an Assessor, going down into the gates to look for valuable resources before they shut the gate down. As a single mother of two, she needs the health insurance and other benefits, so she braves the danger and so far, it’s paid off. However, her mission with combat team Cold Chaos, something goes horribly wrong, and she’s stuck with only the team’s German Shepherd, Bear. Ada’s determined to get out and back to her kids, though. Her time in the breach is filled with danger, discovery and change! I loved Bear, her sweet and fierce companion!
Right away I was rooting for Ada! She’s a relatable, normal mom, trying to get by and do the best for her two kids, but she’s also resourceful and smart! Her Talent is a special, complex one! I won’t say more.
Back up top, the leader of Cold Chaos, Elias McFeron, a powerful combat Talent, is trying to find out what happened after the news of the mission gets back to him. Going back down to retrieve the fallen is his priority.
I was so excited to pick up The Inheritance, but I waited until I had a chunk of uninterrupted time because I knew I’d want to read it straight through once starting! Ilona Andrews never fails to deliver an exciting, page-turning adventure with complex, relatable characters! While this storyline does wrap up, there’s so much more to come and I’m eager for the next book!
August 12, 2025
Ilona Andrews continues to amaze!
The Inheritance, like all of Ilona Andrews' books, immediately draws you in and doesn't let go. I love how characters and places from other novels weave their way through the narrative while making sure the main plot stays its own story. 10/10 would recommend to anyone who loves fantasy, suspense and a "take no prisoners" main character.
Once again, House Andrews delivers.
The Inheritance, like all of Ilona Andrews' books, immediately draws you in and doesn't let go. I love how characters and places from other novels weave their way through the narrative while making sure the main plot stays its own story. 10/10 would recommend to anyone who loves fantasy, suspense and a "take no prisoners" main character.
Once again, House Andrews delivers.
August 29, 2025
Not calling this a romance because although I think there's an excellent romance in the offing, they don't meet until the end of the book. Great survival story and loved the crossover potential with Innkeeper. Still wish they'd written something else instead of this.
August 23, 2025
SO GOOD!!!! I love them your honor. I’m so glad we got to see Elias even though the characters barely met. We love a doggy character and Bear was everything. Love that our MC is an older, divorced, mom. And a badass. I can not wait for book two.
August 12, 2025
Good
When the breach gates appeared, it wasn’t long afterwards that the Earth was battling monsters coming from the breaches, and teams were being sent into them to prevent incursions.
Adaline Moore is a member of one of them; a breach assessor and government worker who seeks out the various objects of value in the breaches. When an incident leaves her in the breach alone with only a dog for company, she is driven to survive so she can get back home to her children.
Her survival isn’t guaranteed, but then, Ada isn’t exactly normal since she gained a special inheritance…
I read the blog as the authors did their initial serialized telling of this tale, before polishing and finishing it to publish, and I was immediately hooked.
With clear Easter Eggs (and a few less clear ones) for the “Book Devouring Horde” (aka BDH- the authors’ fans), this was bound to be a popular story, but it developed into a richly realised story, set in a fascinating future world on the brink of destruction.
Ada is a woman in her mid-forties, a survivour by nature, and a mother of two. She’s strong, determined, and very smart. I loved seeing her grow in strength and character, as she does whatever it takes to survive.
I also enjoyed Elias, the guild master of Cold Chaos, who was determined to find out the truth about what happened in the breach, and though he didn’t have all his answers by the end of the book, I loved his cool composure, quiet determination, and the savvy tactician in him.
I know the authors never intended this book to be as long, deep, or as desirous of a sequel as it is, and even as Gordon and Jeannine laughed (see intro) at Ilona’s “short novella” belief, I am fairly certain there were BDH members who laughed with them, and a few that squealed in anticipation too. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed this new series, and yes, I am definitely looking forward to hearing more about this world, and about Ada and Elias’s adventures. I loved the small glimpses of a world familiar to fans of the Innkeeper series, and am eager to hear more about how this all goes together!
If you’re a fan of the authors, and a card carrying member of the BDH, then you will love this series and be guilty of crying out for “more please!”. But, you don’t need to be familiar with them to enjoy this tale, nor do you need to have read their other books (though you may want to afterwards).
A very enjoyable story, and a quick read, this will appeal to both portal fantasy lovers and lit rpg fans, in addition to urban fantasy fans.
When the breach gates appeared, it wasn’t long afterwards that the Earth was battling monsters coming from the breaches, and teams were being sent into them to prevent incursions.
Adaline Moore is a member of one of them; a breach assessor and government worker who seeks out the various objects of value in the breaches. When an incident leaves her in the breach alone with only a dog for company, she is driven to survive so she can get back home to her children.
Her survival isn’t guaranteed, but then, Ada isn’t exactly normal since she gained a special inheritance…
I read the blog as the authors did their initial serialized telling of this tale, before polishing and finishing it to publish, and I was immediately hooked.
With clear Easter Eggs (and a few less clear ones) for the “Book Devouring Horde” (aka BDH- the authors’ fans), this was bound to be a popular story, but it developed into a richly realised story, set in a fascinating future world on the brink of destruction.
Ada is a woman in her mid-forties, a survivour by nature, and a mother of two. She’s strong, determined, and very smart. I loved seeing her grow in strength and character, as she does whatever it takes to survive.
I also enjoyed Elias, the guild master of Cold Chaos, who was determined to find out the truth about what happened in the breach, and though he didn’t have all his answers by the end of the book, I loved his cool composure, quiet determination, and the savvy tactician in him.
I know the authors never intended this book to be as long, deep, or as desirous of a sequel as it is, and even as Gordon and Jeannine laughed (see intro) at Ilona’s “short novella” belief, I am fairly certain there were BDH members who laughed with them, and a few that squealed in anticipation too. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed this new series, and yes, I am definitely looking forward to hearing more about this world, and about Ada and Elias’s adventures. I loved the small glimpses of a world familiar to fans of the Innkeeper series, and am eager to hear more about how this all goes together!
If you’re a fan of the authors, and a card carrying member of the BDH, then you will love this series and be guilty of crying out for “more please!”. But, you don’t need to be familiar with them to enjoy this tale, nor do you need to have read their other books (though you may want to afterwards).
A very enjoyable story, and a quick read, this will appeal to both portal fantasy lovers and lit rpg fans, in addition to urban fantasy fans.
August 17, 2025
As a card carrying member of the BDH (Book Devouring Horde, aka Ilona Andrews fan base), I read the serialized version until they halted to write the ending. Andrews had said in a blog post that this was NOT their normal, but more of a LitRPG. Don't let that stop you from reading this. They absolutely knocked this out of, not only the ballpark, but the whole damned planet!
The serial was awesome but they have added in extra scenes along the way, so if you think you know what happened, you don't. Not really. And that ending.....oh that ending! I was alternately giddy and crying because it was so good. The debrief scene with Elias and Leo vs Ada and Bear is a thing of beauty. That scene alone made the entire book.
Who's the best dog in the whole wide world? Bear, of course. 5 stars
The serial was awesome but they have added in extra scenes along the way, so if you think you know what happened, you don't. Not really. And that ending.....oh that ending! I was alternately giddy and crying because it was so good. The debrief scene with Elias and Leo vs Ada and Bear is a thing of beauty. That scene alone made the entire book.
Who's the best dog in the whole wide world? Bear, of course. 5 stars
August 21, 2025
3.5 It's an Ilona Andrews book. What's not to like?
Love, though, just a thread. I am not a video game player, so this book didn't really work for me. I enjoyed reading it but - as I said-I didn't love it. There's potential, that's the best I can say.
Love, though, just a thread. I am not a video game player, so this book didn't really work for me. I enjoyed reading it but - as I said-I didn't love it. There's potential, that's the best I can say.
August 24, 2025
No one and I mean literally no one does it better than House Andrews!
The world building, the characters, the action and Bear made this book awesome.
I wanted more after Ada came back from the Breach. More interaction with Elias. Plain and simple I need the next book now.
The world building, the characters, the action and Bear made this book awesome.
I wanted more after Ada came back from the Breach. More interaction with Elias. Plain and simple I need the next book now.
Read
August 22, 2025The Beginning of an Epic Journey
I can not express how much the Andrews writing dou nails their world building, fight sequences, character profiles, and intergalactic politics. Every series I've read is loaded with depth and purpose, aka "a page turner!" Thank you again, dear authors, for a most satisfying journey.
A member of the BDH xoxo
I can not express how much the Andrews writing dou nails their world building, fight sequences, character profiles, and intergalactic politics. Every series I've read is loaded with depth and purpose, aka "a page turner!" Thank you again, dear authors, for a most satisfying journey.
A member of the BDH xoxo
September 2, 2025
Another brilliant story and world from these authors. Hopefully book 2 isn’t years away. Off to do a reread of their Clean Sweep series (great crossover BTW!!)
August 24, 2025
☆3.84☆
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Setting: Chicago and Inter-dimensional spaces/breaches
✅️ Portal/ Gates
✅️ Inter-dimensional Spaces
✅️ Alien creatures/humanoid figures
✅️ Mystery
✅️ Episodic
✅️ Powers and Talents
✅️ Mature FMC and MMC
To quote Ilona Andrews : This story is not a tornado that will rip your house apart. This is a well-maintained rollercoaster that passed all safety inspections with flying colors.
Trigger Warning: violence including graphic scenes, mental health themes like panic attacks and anxiety, grief, harm to monster animals and abandonment
REVIEW
This was a gigantic dose of information but a running start to a new exciting series.
I am reviewing this a week after reading the book, and I can tell you what left an impression and what did not.
The opening scene and the betrayal that kicked the book off did a good job of enraging me as a reader, and sparking feelings of revenge and vengeance. But that didn't last for the entirety of the book because the dangers the FL faced inside the cave didn't make a cohesive whole, which may sound stupid, but for me the quest of getting out of the breach got lost in the prose.
The first time ML and the FL's kid met left an impression. But I wished subsequently they had more scenes woven into the 'plot' fabric.
All the new characters introduced left an impression and I am excited to know more about them.
Undoubtedly, the third half of the book towards the end was my favorite part because of how the book resolved stuff and the meeting of FL and ML that had little sparks bursting in front of my eyes.
IN SUMMARY, I love the style of writing, the prose itself and the characters, but the plot needs a little more work. I will still be consuming every part of this series because I know romance is brewing and fantasy is my vice.
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Setting: Chicago and Inter-dimensional spaces/breaches
✅️ Portal/ Gates
✅️ Inter-dimensional Spaces
✅️ Alien creatures/humanoid figures
✅️ Mystery
✅️ Episodic
✅️ Powers and Talents
✅️ Mature FMC and MMC
To quote Ilona Andrews : This story is not a tornado that will rip your house apart. This is a well-maintained rollercoaster that passed all safety inspections with flying colors.
Trigger Warning: violence including graphic scenes, mental health themes like panic attacks and anxiety, grief, harm to monster animals and abandonment
REVIEW
This was a gigantic dose of information but a running start to a new exciting series.
I am reviewing this a week after reading the book, and I can tell you what left an impression and what did not.
The opening scene and the betrayal that kicked the book off did a good job of enraging me as a reader, and sparking feelings of revenge and vengeance. But that didn't last for the entirety of the book because the dangers the FL faced inside the cave didn't make a cohesive whole, which may sound stupid, but for me the quest of getting out of the breach got lost in the prose.
The first time ML and the FL's kid met left an impression. But I wished subsequently they had more scenes woven into the 'plot' fabric.
All the new characters introduced left an impression and I am excited to know more about them.
Undoubtedly, the third half of the book towards the end was my favorite part because of how the book resolved stuff and the meeting of FL and ML that had little sparks bursting in front of my eyes.
IN SUMMARY, I love the style of writing, the prose itself and the characters, but the plot needs a little more work. I will still be consuming every part of this series because I know romance is brewing and fantasy is my vice.
August 19, 2025
Are you tired of main character's who are barely out of diapers? Interested in other worlds, lil bit sci-fi vibes? A trusted sidekick without a sole purpose of being the snarky commenting one? Adventure of surviving?
Well I've got a book for you! The story starts immediately about forty year old Ada with lesser magic power and how she and her team enter to the gates which takes you to another world with monsters ready to destroy the earth. Their mission, world saving? Hell no. It's to collect all the valuables before the gate is collapsed. But something goes wrong and it ends up being fight of surviving. Surviving with barely no magic in her veins, companies by scared dog. But is the monster world what it seems?
I just loved every second of this story. Bad things? The story was originally supposed to be short story scattered into a blogs posts. You can sometimes feel that. The world would have needed more building. And sometimes plot was too linear.
The worst part? It's unfinished series and I don't know when the second book will come! And it will take awhile ! Ugh! Uuuuuuuuuggggghhhhh!!!!! 😭😭😭😭
Well I've got a book for you! The story starts immediately about forty year old Ada with lesser magic power and how she and her team enter to the gates which takes you to another world with monsters ready to destroy the earth. Their mission, world saving? Hell no. It's to collect all the valuables before the gate is collapsed. But something goes wrong and it ends up being fight of surviving. Surviving with barely no magic in her veins, companies by scared dog. But is the monster world what it seems?
I just loved every second of this story. Bad things? The story was originally supposed to be short story scattered into a blogs posts. You can sometimes feel that. The world would have needed more building. And sometimes plot was too linear.
The worst part? It's unfinished series and I don't know when the second book will come! And it will take awhile ! Ugh! Uuuuuuuuuggggghhhhh!!!!! 😭😭😭😭
August 25, 2025
Another fantastic offering by Ilona Andrews, I am obsessed>.
Alien monsters, hostile worlds and supernatural abilities, what's not to love?!
I can't wait for book 2!
Alien monsters, hostile worlds and supernatural abilities, what's not to love?!
I can't wait for book 2!
August 12, 2025
Need book 2 asap!
I started reading this when it was a weekly serial on the authors' blog, and I'm excited to finish this part of the story. Yes, it can be read as a standalone adventure, but they've laid the groundwork for a sequel, and I can't wait to learn more.
I started reading this when it was a weekly serial on the authors' blog, and I'm excited to finish this part of the story. Yes, it can be read as a standalone adventure, but they've laid the groundwork for a sequel, and I can't wait to learn more.
August 29, 2025
I’m blown away, and ALL IN for this new series. Holy shit. This may be the best sci-fi/fantasy book I’ve read all year.
The Inheritance is by Ilona Andrews, a husband/wife team who write consistently fascinating urban fantasies.
It’s an earth set right now where rifts (called a breach) have appeared around the world that eventually pour monsters into urban areas. Beyond the breach entrance there is a miniature dimension that links to the hostile world sending the monsters through. The first incursions of monsters change everything, tho for now most infrastructure is holding. Libraries are still open — yay!
Shortly after the breaches appeared, humans started developing “talents.” Some are useful, others less so. The more you use and challenge your talent the stronger it gets, so you can kind of level up.
The other thing that happened is that humans have figured out how to shut the breaches down. You have to enter the rift and shut down the “anchor” at the other end, because it’s a link between worlds, not the world itself.
Not all breaches have the same ecosystem, it’s like the connecting space is a stolen piece from different world. Some are, of course, more dangerous than others. The better the resources, the more dangerous the breach world.
Are you getting DnD vibes yet?
Humans have also learned that the areas between the entrance and the anchor have really valuable materials that can be exploited. There are typically 30 days after the rift appears before the monsters enter earth, then once the anchor is destroyed you have 3 days to get out. There’s just enough time to send out scouts, mine the minerals, gather plants, etc and bug out. We don’t know what’s on the other side of the anchor, just that it’s hostile.
Our heroine Adaline is a 40-year-old single mom (2 kids) who developed a talent that allows her to see and analyze minerals and other resources in the rift worlds. To some extent she can also tell if something is toxic. She’s an employee of the Federal government and contracted out to an extraction company to be a part of a team that goes in and pulls stuff out. She’s in good shape for 40 and can do a sprint in good time but then has to go home and take ibuprofen for her knees. 😍
In this book Adaline’s team discovers gold and a huge deposit of adamantine, which should have tipped them off about how dangerous this pocket world is.
What can I say about Adaline? From the beginning it’s clear that she is the fierce kind of mom who’s raised her kids to survive in this new world. A loving realist, her kids are her life. When she’s trapped in the breach’s cave system with a wounded dog, limited water, energy bars, a helmet lamp, and a knife, we see what a mother-hero is capable of: Adaline is 100% badass. Nothing will keep her from surviving and getting back to her family. Nothing.
She’s determined, ruthless, and valiant, but also kind and instinctively protective. An encounter with a mysterious and powerful mother-warrior gives her a sword and abilities that will help her learn to survive this harsh environment. What is the government not telling the world about the breaches?
We also meet the team of extraordinary talents who will surely join Adalina in her defense of humanity. Among them is Elias McFeron, the grim Guildmaster of the extraction company. Even tho he’s in his late 40s, his powers as a guardian are unparalleled. We also meet Leo “I have a bad feeling about this” Martinez who is a Storm Surge. The clever nods to sci-fi classics are so fun.
I love that the covers and artwork are old skool sci-fi, and that it includes a DnD style map of some of the gateway terrain. At least the ebook versions do.
The series will be a set of interconnected stories. There are no cliffhangers, but SO many questions.
HIGHLY recommended.
“When you are young, you think that happiness is made of big triumphant moments. Getting your driver’s license. Graduating. Getting accepted into a college of your choice. Your wedding day – that’s a big one. But when you get older, you realize that those are the moments you remember, but they are so rare. If you want to be happy, you look for joy in small things. A cup of your favorite coffee. A good book. Vegging out on the couch after a long, hard day at work. Some people might say those are moments when you are content, not happy. But I will take what I can get, and right now this is a moment.”
Excerpt From
The Inheritance
Ilona Andrews
https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-i...
This material may be protected by copyright.
The Inheritance is by Ilona Andrews, a husband/wife team who write consistently fascinating urban fantasies.
It’s an earth set right now where rifts (called a breach) have appeared around the world that eventually pour monsters into urban areas. Beyond the breach entrance there is a miniature dimension that links to the hostile world sending the monsters through. The first incursions of monsters change everything, tho for now most infrastructure is holding. Libraries are still open — yay!
Shortly after the breaches appeared, humans started developing “talents.” Some are useful, others less so. The more you use and challenge your talent the stronger it gets, so you can kind of level up.
The other thing that happened is that humans have figured out how to shut the breaches down. You have to enter the rift and shut down the “anchor” at the other end, because it’s a link between worlds, not the world itself.
Not all breaches have the same ecosystem, it’s like the connecting space is a stolen piece from different world. Some are, of course, more dangerous than others. The better the resources, the more dangerous the breach world.
Are you getting DnD vibes yet?
Humans have also learned that the areas between the entrance and the anchor have really valuable materials that can be exploited. There are typically 30 days after the rift appears before the monsters enter earth, then once the anchor is destroyed you have 3 days to get out. There’s just enough time to send out scouts, mine the minerals, gather plants, etc and bug out. We don’t know what’s on the other side of the anchor, just that it’s hostile.
Our heroine Adaline is a 40-year-old single mom (2 kids) who developed a talent that allows her to see and analyze minerals and other resources in the rift worlds. To some extent she can also tell if something is toxic. She’s an employee of the Federal government and contracted out to an extraction company to be a part of a team that goes in and pulls stuff out. She’s in good shape for 40 and can do a sprint in good time but then has to go home and take ibuprofen for her knees. 😍
In this book Adaline’s team discovers gold and a huge deposit of adamantine, which should have tipped them off about how dangerous this pocket world is.
What can I say about Adaline? From the beginning it’s clear that she is the fierce kind of mom who’s raised her kids to survive in this new world. A loving realist, her kids are her life. When she’s trapped in the breach’s cave system with a wounded dog, limited water, energy bars, a helmet lamp, and a knife, we see what a mother-hero is capable of: Adaline is 100% badass. Nothing will keep her from surviving and getting back to her family. Nothing.
She’s determined, ruthless, and valiant, but also kind and instinctively protective. An encounter with a mysterious and powerful mother-warrior gives her a sword and abilities that will help her learn to survive this harsh environment. What is the government not telling the world about the breaches?
We also meet the team of extraordinary talents who will surely join Adalina in her defense of humanity. Among them is Elias McFeron, the grim Guildmaster of the extraction company. Even tho he’s in his late 40s, his powers as a guardian are unparalleled. We also meet Leo “I have a bad feeling about this” Martinez who is a Storm Surge. The clever nods to sci-fi classics are so fun.
I love that the covers and artwork are old skool sci-fi, and that it includes a DnD style map of some of the gateway terrain. At least the ebook versions do.
The series will be a set of interconnected stories. There are no cliffhangers, but SO many questions.
HIGHLY recommended.
“When you are young, you think that happiness is made of big triumphant moments. Getting your driver’s license. Graduating. Getting accepted into a college of your choice. Your wedding day – that’s a big one. But when you get older, you realize that those are the moments you remember, but they are so rare. If you want to be happy, you look for joy in small things. A cup of your favorite coffee. A good book. Vegging out on the couch after a long, hard day at work. Some people might say those are moments when you are content, not happy. But I will take what I can get, and right now this is a moment.”
Excerpt From
The Inheritance
Ilona Andrews
https://books.apple.com/us/book/the-i...
This material may be protected by copyright.
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