Feb
What Lies Beyond the Veil, the first must-read book in the dark fantasy Of Flesh & Bone Series from USA Today bestselling author Adelaide Forrest writing as Harper L. Woods is available now!
I received this book for free from Social Butterfly PR in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
What Lies Beyond the Veil (Of Flesh & Bone #1) by Harper L. Woods, Adelaide Forrest Series: Of Flesh & Bone #1
on February 22, 2022
Genres: Dark Fantasy, Paranormal Romance
Pages: 419
Format: ARC
Source: Social Butterfly PR
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Once, we’d worshipped them as Gods.
For nearly 400 years, the Veil has protected us from the Fae of Alfheimr. In their absence, our lives have shifted from decadence and sin to survival and virtue under the guidance of the New Gods. I’ve spent my entire life tending to the gardens next to the boundary between our worlds, drawn to the shimmering magic like a moth to the flame.
Then, we died on their swords.
All of that changes the day the Veil shatters, unleashing the fae upon our world once again. The magic of faerie marks those of us they mean to take, but the Mist Guard protecting Nothrek will kill us all before they let the fae have us. There’s no choice but to flee everything I’ve ever known, not if I want to live to see my twenty-first birthday as a free woman.
Now, they’ll claim what’s theirs.
But before they capture me, Caelum saves me from the Wild Hunt. Fae-marked and on the run, he is able to fight back in ways I only dream of. From tentative alliance to all-consuming passion, our bond strengthens as the fae close in and evil lurks ever nearer. With my life on the line, he is everything I shouldn’t dare to want and a distraction I can’t afford. I can’t seem to stay away, not even with something greater on the line.
My heart.
Author’s Note: This book is intended for readers who are 18 and older. It contains mature language, graphic violence, and explicit content with darker elements. This is book one in a series and ends in a cliffhanger.
When I first saw the beautiful cover of ‘What Lies Beyond The Veil’, I was immediately fascinated. I mean, isn’t gorgeous? And after reading the book blurb, I was even more sure this was going to be a book for me. Since I love Fantasy Romance novels, this book just spoke to me. And I had very high expectations before starting. Luckily I got approved to read an ARC, and as soon as I could I started reading.
In ‘What Lies Beyond The Veil’ we meet Estrella. Estrella’s life has been horrible for the most part. The one things that keeps her going is her family. She has always been fascinated by the mysterious ‘Veil’ that separates her world, by that of the Fae’s. But when the ‘Veil’ suddenly shatters, and Estrella is forced to leave her old life behind, she soon finds out there is a lot more about her than she’d known.
When Estrella meets Caelum, she isn’t sure if he can be trusted. Especially since most man have shown her, they can’t be trusted. But there is something about Caelum that speaks to her. And when Caelum is the only one she can turn to, she is forced to trust him with her life.
‘What Lies Beyond The Veil’ was so much more than I thought it would be. In the beginning the story of Estrella’s life was just horrible. The world she lived in definitely made my skin crawl. And there is a lot of mystery about ‘the Veil’ that fascinated me. Slowly on, we learn more about this world Harper L. Woods created I was totally hooked and desperate to learn more.
The two main characters Estrella and Caelum where easy to fall in love with. But I definitely expected Caelum not to be telling the complete truth. And although some parts of this book ended up being a bit predictable, there was still so much going on I didn’t expect at all. And I loved every moment of this read.
The romance between Estrella and Caelum was definitely swoon-worthy. In the end their romance was a bit much for my taste, but it fitted the story. I just don’t really enjoy these crude and sexist things Caelum would say at times. And it also definitely didn’t fit the Caelum we got to know in the beginning.
But.. the ending.. Wow!! I expected a cliffhanger!! But it still killed me. I can’t wait to read the next book. ‘What Lies Beyond The Veil’, is a wonderful fantasy filled romance read. It makes you want more and the world created by the author is really fascinating. If you’re looking for an interesting read that keeps you on the edge of your seat, this one is for you.
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Pre-order What Hunts Inside the Shadows, Book Two
Release August 30th
“Kneel,” the High Priest said, the order a murmur between the two of us as he guided me forward. The Veil swayed just in front of me, close enough to touch, and for just one moment I pictured reaching out to touch it.
I wondered what would happen if I did, then watched my fingers stretching forward as if compelled. The magic pulsing off of it touched my skin, sliding over my fingers as the curtain swayed toward me in perfect unison. The High Priest pressed his hand to the top of my shoulder, guiding me to my knees. The movement pulled my hand away from the magic that covered my skin before I could touch the Veil itself, tearing away the warmth I’d almost known.
In a world filled with nothing but cold, bitter half-truths, the Veil beckoned like a warm embrace, welcoming me into a place where I would be protected at all costs.
My hands dropped to my thighs as my knees hit the dirt beneath me, my palms facing the sky as I tipped my head up to stare into the eyes of the High Priest. He stood just to the side of me, his body close enough that he could stop me from falling into the Veil itself when I died, but out of the way so that my blood would stain the soil and not him.
“We thank you for your sacrifice, Estrella Barlowe of Mistfell. May you find peace in your next existence, wrapped in the arms of The Mother.” He sank his hand into the hair at the back of my head, gripping the strands tightly to pull me to the angle he needed. The tip of that dagger pressed into the side of my throat, digging into the flesh as the warmth of blood trickled down my skin. “Close your eyes now, child.”
His eyes bore into mine, willing me to do as commanded. I understood at that moment that he didn’t want to watch the life fade from my eyes as he slit my throat—that he took no pleasure in doing the will of The Father.
I did, letting them drift closed. Ringing filled my ears, drowning out my mother’s hoarse cries and the sound of Brann trying to console her. My body filled with warmth, like the press of a warm hearth on a cold winter’s night, the stars shimmering outside the window as I cuddled up with a book.
It was the first moment of contentment I’d felt, the first moment when there wasn’t any pain. I didn’t want to hurt anymore. I didn’t want to be afraid of what was to come.
I drew in a breath, feeling the High Priest dig his knife deeper into my skin and begin to drag it to the side. Sudden awareness burst through my contentment, the impression of someone banging on the other side of a doorway, though there was none to be found.
The world shook as an animalistic roar came from the other side of the Veil.
About Adelaide Forrest
Adelaide Forrest, writing as Harper L. Woods, is a USA Today & Amazon Top 40 Bestselling author of dark and gritty romance, such as the Bellandi Crime Syndicate and Beauty in Lies series. Adelaide fell in love with books at a young age and quickly discovered her love for writing soon after. She wrote short stories and then delved into full-length fiction at ten-years-old. Since then, she's created over 350 book ideas and hoarded them over the years.
When she isn’t writing, she can be found spending time with her two young children, dog, and cat. She enjoys traveling, chocolate, chai tea, and most importantly, being with her family.
This Blog Tour was organized by Social Butterfly PR.
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Maureen is a mom, wife, nurse, and Ravenclaw living in the Netherlands. She spends her days juggling mom-life, reading, blogging, planning date nights with her husband and working as a nurse. Maureen also is a big Anglophile, loves cooking, Gilmore Girls, Bridgerton and Harry Potter.. Always! Facebook | Instagram
