What Lies Beyond the Veil

The Of Flesh & Bone Series, Book 1

By: Harper L. Woods

Narrated by: Ava Lucas

Length: 13 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

Once, we’d worshipped them as Gods.

For nearly four-hundred 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.

©2022 Harper L. Woods & Adelaide Forrest (P)2022 Blackstone Publishing

Threw Me For a Loop

Yes! The story is good
Yes! The narration is bomb
Yes! It leaves you on a COMPLETE cliffhanger. 🧗‍♀️
Meh! The writing could be better, (but who am I, I can barely write my name 🫠🥴)
Defiantly will be reading the second book!
🌶️🌶️🌶️ spicy

Mediocre

Not quite the level of SJM, but not total trash like some of the other fae books out there. The storyline has promise, but falls short. All the love connections and relationships are half baked. It all happens too fast without allowing us to get to the same feelings. The plot twist was too obvious for us and frustrating to see go way over the supposedly smart heroine’s head.

The “breadcrumbs” were more like loaves

The breadcrumbs of foreshadowing (for me) were more like loaves of bread, all to say it was obvious what would happen. That said, I still enjoyed it. The narrator was phenomenal. The story itself is ok, but for sure the definition of a toxic relationship. I’m intrigued enough to listen when the second book comes out, but this one falls middle of the road for me.

Why no male narrator?

I love this book in general, the storyline, characters-everything. But I am very disappointed that there’s no male voices the part of Caelum. Most of the reason people listen to audio books is because the voice brings the character to life. It’s hard to envision that with only a female voicing the whole book.

I really like it, but!

The way the main male character calls the main female character “little one” is a bit creepy. Otherwise, it’s a solid listen!

AMAZING!!!! Morally Gray MMC & Strong FMC

I loved everything about this heroine and morally gray MMC. I can’t wait to recommend this to every friend I know.

Very predictable and long

I usually love slow building romance, but this was pretty ridiculous. Without sharing the story, you know what the author is trying to surprise you with very early on. You almost want to smack the main character for not seeing it until the end. The story drug on for a LONG time, then all of a sudden it is tons of sex. Public sex…for no reason! I’m in no way a prude, but this just didn’t make any sense to the story. I won’t be finishing the series.

Eye rolling cringe

This was a ridiculously hackneyed sub female Dom male trope. I guessed the premise so early on and I was constantly rolling my eyes at the female protagonist’s actions. Little did I realize that you can get eye strain from an audiobook.

Love this story

I loved this story and read the book in two days. I can’t recommend this audio book as I did not enjoy the female voice actors male voices.

Loved this book

I loved the story. Hope the other two are just as good. Can’t wait to listen to the rest.