Legacy of Souls by @DWallacePeach #Fantasy #BookReview

Peace descends on the Ravenwood freehold, and Raze Anvrell trusts that as love lays open his life, the turmoil of his past will loosen its grip. But in the halls of Avanoe and catacombs of Ezar, political intrigues thicken. Deflection and secrets manipulate the truth, assassins whet their blades, and more than one ruler stakes a claim in the quest for power. 

A swallower of multiple souls, Sajem files his teeth and inks his eyes. Tentacles of madness slither deeper into the slaver’s afflicted mind. His raids grow brazen, tactics harsh, and conscience stripped bare. Alliances fracture and form, and no one is too old or young, too wealthy or beautiful to spare.

As his father’s health fails, Raze accompanies his brother to Ezar to plead before the Empress for slavery’s end. When death strikes, he and those who stand in the way of ruthless ambition must battle for those they love, the principles they hold dear, and the world they desire. 

While heirs compete for the Ezari throne, slavers plot each other’s demise. The future of the Vales depends on the outcome. And if Raze wishes to save his family, his freehold, his chance at love, and his life, he must swallow one more soul.

Biography

D. Wallace Peach started writing later in life after the kids were grown and a move left her with hours to fill. Years of working in business surrendered to a full-time indulgence in the imaginative world of books, and when she started writing, she was instantly hooked. Diana lives in a log cabin amongst the tall evergreens and emerald moss of Oregon’s rainforest with her husband, two dogs, bats, owls, and the occasional family of coyotes.

For book descriptions, excerpts, maps, and behind the scenes info, please visit http://dwallacepeachbooks.com.

For her blog on all things writing, please visit http://mythsofthemirror.com.

My Review

Second in the Shattered Sea series, this is one thrill-ride!

When trouble comes to Ravenwood, Raze must lay aside his prejudices and team up with his family to uncover a nest of political intrigue in order to save the woman he loves.

Written in the form of a spell-binding saga, this series is truly a must-read. The author describes far-off lands in stunning detail along with the plight of the bonded against sometimes unethical slavers.

The choice of whether to swallow souls of the recently departed and how it affects the new host is explored and left this reader thinking we should be grateful for the gifts we’re given; asking for more comes with a price.

Favorite lines:

Yet, love never showed up at the door in tidy packages strung with ribbons; it demanded vulnerability, a choice to trust and accept the risks of hurt, disappointment, and failure.

Peach, D. Wallace. Legacy of Souls (The Shattered Sea Book 2) (p. 15). D. Wallace Peach. Kindle Edition.

Cups passed hand to hand, the conversation light and effortless as dusk smeared a scarlet brushstroke across the Ravenwood sky. Frogs peeped in the pasture and fireflies blinked above the grass in a random dance.

Peach, D. Wallace. Legacy of Souls (The Shattered Sea Book 2) (p. 102). D. Wallace Peach. Kindle Edition.

“Life is hard enough, isn’t it? Full of frailty and suffering. We live in our secret inner worlds, and despite the bridges we build to others, no one truly glimpses all the hidden corners of our souls.”

Peach, D. Wallace. Legacy of Souls (The Shattered Sea Book 2) (p. 103). D. Wallace Peach. Kindle Edition.

Valcore crumbled beneath the weight of its clouds. The city’s wide river oozed along squat defensive walls, and steel chains webbed the air between its towers as if they alone prevented the place from collapsing. From the river’s mouth, even the palace looked derelict, cloaked in smoke and rising from the black ruins like a lightning-struck tree.

Peach, D. Wallace. Legacy of Souls (The Shattered Sea Book 2) (p. 216). D. Wallace Peach. Kindle Edition.

I give Legacy of Souls 5+ lovely kisses- a fantastic fantasy saga!