Knot of Souls by Christine Amsden

Title: Knot of Souls

Author: Christine Amsden

Genre: Scifi Fantasy

Series: N/A

Publication: May 20, 2025, 396 pages

Source: I received a review copy from the author in exchange for a honest review.

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Two souls, one body …

When Joy wakes up in an alley, she knows three things: she was brutally murdered, she has somehow come back to life ... and she is not alone. She’s been possessed by an inhuman presence, a being that has taken over her dying body. That being is powerful, in pain, and on the run from entities more dangerous than he is.

Shade, a Fae prince on the run, didn’t mean to share the body he jumped into. Desperate and afraid, accused of a murder he didn’t commit, he only sought a place to hide—but if he leaves Joy now, he faces discovery and a fate worse than death.

Forced to work together to solve multiple murders, including her own, Joy and Shade discover hidden strengths and an unlikely friendship. Yet as their souls become increasingly intertwined, they realize their true danger might come from each other … and if they don't find a way to untangle the knot their souls have become, then even the truth won't set them free.

MY THOUGHTS

Amsden is the wonderful author of Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective and The Immortality Virus, which I had the pleasure of reading during my early review days. Cassie Scot remains a memorable favorite of mine. So, when the author reached out to let me know she had published a new novel, I jumped at the chance to review it!

Knot of Souls is completely different from Amsden’s previous works, but her impeccable writing style remains unchanged. In my opinion, Knot of Souls leans toward light Sci-Fi Fantasy, with a unique and fresh take on the Fae.

The story begins when a human named Joy is murdered, and in that fleeting moment between life and death, her body is hijacked by a Faerie Prince named Shade. Normally, when a Fae inhabits a living body, the original soul is no longer present but, in this case, Joy is still there, and she doesn’t plan to leave without a fight.

The subject of Fae has been around for as long as I can remember and, in recent years, has taken center stage in many fantasy stories. But Amsden’s version is unlike anything I’ve seen before. The Fae in Knot of Souls are incorporeal, energetic beings from another planet (yes, like aliens, though Shade would probably be offended by that label). With their planet destroyed, some chose to come to Earth to start over, while others returned to Source. The story touches on fascinating themes like genetics, reincarnation, and past lives, which I’ve always been drawn to. I loved how the author wove these concepts into the Fae's background and history.

Joy was such a realistic and relatable character; flawed, very human. I appreciated that she wasn’t the typical fantasy heroine who’s instantly tough, overly confident, or always knows what to do. She was simply herself, doing the best she could in an impossible situation. Shade, like Joy, was also flawed; his past trauma causing him to keep everyone at arm’s length. It was really rewarding to watch them overcome their differences and learn to support each other.

This was a low-stakes, almost cozy story where we follow the characters as they navigate the world, learning and adapting day by day. It wasn’t what I was expecting at all, and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. It offered a refreshing change of pace from all the romantasy and high fantasy I’ve been reading lately. Knot of Souls felt like a warm cup of cocoa; something comforting, relaxing, and easy to get lost in.

Lady of Darkness by Melissa K. Roehrich

Title: Lady of Darkness

Author: Melissa K. Roehrich

Genre: Fantasy

Series: Lady of Darkness # 1

Paperback, 538 pages 

Publication: March 1, 2020

Source: Personal Library
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A CAGE.

Owned by a ruthless Assassin Lord, Scarlett Monrhoe and her two sisters have been trained since they were children to torture and take life. They are the most feared trio on the continent, but they are also wild and unpredictable. A tragic night has Scarlett finding herself locked away in a noble's household, trapped and forgotten, until she's ready to fall into line.

A CHOICE.

Until the day she is presented with a job. If she completes the assignment, her payment will be something she has coveted for ten years. Revenge against the Fae Fire Prince who brutally killed her mother ten years ago. Is she willing to sacrifice her ideals for retribution?

A MYSTERY.

But when children begin disappearing from her home, all her plans are put on hold as she races to save the most innocent. With the help of old friends, a jilted lover, and a mysterious newcomer who claims the magic of the Fae is possible in the mortal lands, Scarlett delves into the darkest corners of the world. Forgotten secrets will come to light, and she will discover the darkness extends far beyond her own kingdom.

MY THOUGHTS

I've started and stopped reading Lady of Darkness a handful of times over the last two years. I don't quite remember why though whether it was the book or just my mood. But I finally read and finished the book! The beginning of the book was slow, and I didn't really like Scarlet all that much. I had to remind myself that she's 18-years old or so and is basically an immature child. Ironic that she's part of an assassin syndicate and she's one of their top members. The more I read, I realized that the author's Legacy series is a spinoff or based off the same world as Lady of Darkness. And I actually read The Legacy series before reading this book. Which I guess it helped me understand the world building easier. 

I noticed many similarities between Scarlett and The Legacy's heroine, Tessa. They're literally the same character just in a different timeline. With that said, having finished Lady of Darkness, I'm not sure how I feel about Scarlet. I didn't like her at the beginning and towards the end there wasn't much improvement. I plan to continue with the series and hope that changes and we see more personal development and growth for Scarlet. I also didn't really care for Sorin. I understood the immediate obsession, borderline instalove but he read like all the other typical MMC I've read. Nothing stands out about Sorin, not even being the Fire Prince. 

I thought the plot and writing was well-done, not surprising considering how much I enjoyed Roehrich's Legacy series. I am interested in continuing this series to see what happens next with the characters after the revelation about Scarlet. Lady of Darkness while not as strong as The Legacy, I believe it could get better once I get further into the series. Overall, it was a decent series opener. 

The Falconer by Elizabeth May

Title: The Falconer

Author: Elizabeth May

Genre: Fantasy

Series: The Falconer # 1 

Hardcover, 378 pages 

Publication: September 19, 2013

Source: Personal Library
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She's a stunner. Edinburgh, 1844. Eighteen-year-old Lady Aileana Kameron, the only daughter of the Marquess of Douglas, has everything a girl could dream of: brains, charm, wealth, a title—and drop-dead beauty.

She's a liar. But Aileana only looks the part of an aristocratic young lady. she's leading a double life: She has a rare ability to sense the sìthíchean—the faery race obsessed with slaughtering humans—and, with the aid of a mysterious mentor, has spent the year since her mother died learning how to kill them.

She's a murderer. Now Aileana is dedicated to slaying the fae before they take innocent lives. With her knack for inventing ingenious tools and weapons—from flying machines to detonators to lightning pistols—ruthless Aileana has one goal: Destroy the faery who destroyed her mother.

She's a Falconer. The last in a line of female warriors born with a gift for hunting and killing the fae, Aileana is the sole hope of preventing a powerful faery population from massacring all of humanity. Suddenly, her quest is a lot more complicated. She still longs to avenge her mother's murder—but she'll have to save the world first..

MY THOUGHTS

The Falconer series has been on my TBR list for over 10 years. But I always knew it was a series I wanted to get into eventually. And I'm so glad I finally did. The Falconer, the first book in a trilogy takes place in 1800s in Edinburgh, Scotland. Our heroine, Aileana Kameron is a debutant by day and fae-slayer by night. What drives Aileana is finding her mother's murderer. I used the term 'Fae-slayer' because the entire book had Buffy vibes; all you have to do is just substitute the vampires with faeries.  

The beginning of the book was quite slow and took a while to get into. I didn't find Aileana's high society life very interesting. And the faerie slaying night after night got monotonous. It wasn't until Aileana's two world collided that thing got more riveting...but just by a smidgen. I somewhat enjoyed the chemistry between Aileana and Kiaran but no matter how much I read; I felt like something was missing. Something we missed between the two because they went from hot/cold to flirty to full-blown I worship thee. It didn't make sense, nor did it feel like a natural progression. However, the author recently said she is rewriting the series as it was intended; meaning it was supposed to be an adult romantasy not young adult. I think if I read the author's original adult version I would like it more. 

The characters and world building are pretty minimal and lackluster. I didn't feel like enough time or thought were put into their character development and the foundation of the world was weak. The only standout to the first book was derek, Aileana's faerie friend that resides in her closet. All in all, I thought The Falconer was an okay, decent read. There's just enough substance and a cliff-hanger that has me possibly picking up the sequel. But I may wait until the revised edition comes out before I continue with the series.