Amazon.com: A Soul to Guide: Duskwalker Brides: Book Four: 9780645830118: Reyne, Opal: Books

4.5 out of 5Hoooo, boy! I have a bit of a confession to make, and no its not what you're thinking.When I first read the premise of A Soul to Keep, the first book of the Duskwalker Brides series, I thought it was right up my alley! A fantasy-romance with an in-human monster who never changes into a handsome prince or princess? That is the only romance I will ever accept.Sadly, I didn't heed that little, specific, spice warning Miss Reyne wrote at the start of the book, because as someone who is uncomfortable with spicy smut and kinky, detailed sex, I was <not> for what was in store for me!I ended up DNFing A Soul to Keep. Not just because of the spice, but a few other matters as well (the grammar was a mess, the modern day words and references didn't mesh with the medieval-esque/post-apocalyptic setting at all, and it felt like Reia and Orpheus got turned on for each other too quickly. There was little to no build-up there).Despite this, I remained curious about the world and creatures Miss Reyne created, to the point where I'd often take a look at the sequels whenever a new one was published, though I was unsure if I'd read any of them.That all changed when I saw this current entry: A Soul to Guide.Maybe it was the premise, maybe I was craving for something different, or maybe it was the recent dream I had of my own Duskwalker appearing to me, I don't know. All I know is that the moment I looked at Guide's synopsis, I wanted to read it. So I went ahead and bought it, hoping against hope that I would enjoy this one more since I knew what to expect. Now that I've finished, I'm happy to say that I'm glad I took the chance.I had a much better experience with A Soul to Guide. The journey was great, the emotional value was strong, and world-building was fascinating, especially with the Elven realm, their lore, how magic works in their universe, and the idea of alternate dimensions/planets.Our two main leads, Merikh and Raewyn, were fantastic. They're not the most likable main characters out there, but their complexities and flaws made them interesting to read about.Raewyn is naive, spoiled, a bit of a chatter box, can't hold her own in a fight for long, and has a selfish streak, but at the same time she's smart, kind, doesn't let her blindness get to her, takes her role as a scientist seriously, and, as we see later on, a complete horn-dog for Duskwalkers (just Merikh, really, but still).Merikh is grumpy, vengeful, sadistic and filled with so much hatred and self-loathing that he doesn't understand lighter emotions when he feels them. Yet beneath that edgy, murderous exterior is a gentle soul who wants to escape the darkness and hatred of the world and to be accepted for who and what he is, even if it seems impossible.These two compliment each other so well, I bought their relationship and romance as the story went on, so when they get turned on and go at each other(since I knew what to expect, I either skimmed through these bits, or drove through them with the mindset of "It's part of the series, deal with it! Be glad its with a monster and not a human!"), it feels earned. I ended up getting so emotional about their relationship that I got teary eyed and screamed internally whenever something bad happened or something sad about their backstories was revealed.I'm happy to give this book all my praise, but unfortunately there are a few problems that keep me from giving it a full 5 stars.The modern day words and references are still there, and once again they really don't mesh well with the setting (is there a reason for this, I'm confused), there were a few head-scratching details (Elves can live for hundreds of years, yet there is one ancient Elf who has been around for numerous events in Nyl'theria's history, but is described as being only in his 70's? I hope the author meant he only looked 70 compared to other Elves), and finally, the book didn't need to be over 600 pages long.Don't get me wrong, I love myself a good-sized novel when I'm in the mood, especially if the story and pacing is well done, but despite the additional scenes working for character development, said scenes ended up dragging to the point of feeling tedious and repetitive.Overall though, I'm glad I gave the Duskwalker world another chance with this entry. Does this mean I'll read the other Duskwalker books? Absolutely, although I'm still trying to figure out how to go about them.I plan on giving A Soul to Keep another chance, but I'm unsure about A Soul to Heal and A Soul to Touch since I heard the main female leads of those two are terrible. I might give A Soul to Touch a go, even though there's apparently more kink and spice than story in that one.

5/5 ⭐5/5 🌶️**Tropes**- Grumpy x Sunshine- Enemies to Lovers (Kinda)- Portal to Another World- Disabled FMC- Black FMC📖 **My Thoughts**God, what didn't I like about this book? It's taken over as my favorite for sure, sorry Orpheus. Our MMC is just such a grumpy grump, but such a softie for our FMC, who is such a spitfire and yet so compassionate. They're both people with a past and ambitious goals for the future, and to see them make space for eachother in that future was so rewarding. They come a long way as a couple, and as people. MMC learns to trust and be vulnerable, and FMC learns to be understanding and patient. They both make mistakes, but their reasoning makes sense and when they resolve things it's in a way that feels satisfying to read. I loved the representation of both the black and disabled communities and this FMC is truly one of a kind, I don't think I'll ever forget her. The spice was also incredible and the chemistry between these two and *chef's kiss*. As for the plot, we get a LOT of context and backstory, not just for this couple, but for the world as a whole. I think this might be the most pivotal book, plot-wise. Truly I can't sing enough praises for this.⚠️ **Triggers**- Violence- Blood & Gore- Manipulation & Lying- Attempted Mugging- Attempted Murder (Accidental)- ||Description of Death of a Sibling and Childhood Trauma||- ||Description of Imprisonment of a Child, a Massacre, and descent into Madness||<:0_flag_progress_pride:1077471157575491594> **Representation**The FMC is black-coded, and I thought it was very well-represented. She refers to her hair and it's special needs on a regular basis and as stereotypical as it may sound, she *felt* AA to me, despite being an elf from some other world. She is also blind, but wasn't born that way, and this I felt was represented so well! I loved the character's realistic struggle between wanting to be independent and yet accepting help when needed. When reading from her POV you really get a sense of what it's like in her world. Nothing is described through a sense of sight, but through feel and sound and scent. It's such an interesting and unique perspective I've never read before.🌶️ **Spice**As always, Opal has outdone herself with the spice. The sex is amazing, lots of stuffing and making things fit as usual, but we also get the addition of a nice big knot and copious fluids. Just the way Opal writes how each of them get lost in the pleasure is so compelling and exciting. Our MMC positively loses his mind when things get towards the finish line, and it's bone-meltingly hot. This might be my favorite spice I've read from her so far.📝 **Special Notes**I seriously can't get over how well the author represented the FMC's blindness in this story. I've never read a book where I felt bereft in that way, reading someone else's POV. You truly feel blind, as the author describes the FMC's environment through her other senses rather than sight. There's so much more focus on her inner thoughts and feelings, since she's not really distracted by what's going on around her unless something important is happening. I really enjoyed this trip into another perspective.