Darkened Dawn

Way of Wings, Book 2

By: E.J. Mellow

Narrated by: Dominique Salvacion, Andre Santana

From the award-winning author of The Mousai series comes the sweeping conclusion to the Icarus-inspired Way of Wings duology—where a forbidden love could save a fractured world…or bring about its end.

Cādra is on the brink of war. With their king in a coma and rebellion spreading across the lands, the winged Volari and horned Süra gather for tense peace negotiations. But beneath the momentary fragile truce simmers unrest—the mixed-blood Mütra rise, demanding the freedom denied them for centuries, as the gods themselves seem poised to intervene.

Tanwen—now a known Mütra and fugitive of the crown—and Zolya, a prince on the precipice to inherit his father’s broken kingdom, find themselves caught in a web of betrayal and divine reckoning. When their forbidden bond is exposed, they risk far more than their love—their lives, their families, and the fragile hope of peace.

Together they must decide whether their love is worth the ruin it may bring to their fractured world…or perhaps be the only key to healing it.

©2026 by E.J. Mellow. (P)2026 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Well paced and enjoyable romantic story

3 stars - mostly for an incomplete and confusing plot.

Individually book 1 in the series rates 5 stars.
Individually this book rated stars.
Together the series rated stars.

Pros: This book was fast paced. The narration was a pleasure to listen to. The romance was entertaining. The prose was gorgeous.

Cons: It felt like book 1 and book 2 were written by two different people who didn’t communicate. Entire subplots and characters just vanished without explanation. Important plot twists weren’t setup in book 1 and appeared out of nowhere.

The story felt aimless and confusing. This reminds me of AI written books where a lot of cool stuff happens, but the AI doesn’t realize that humans like lose ends to be wrapped up.