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Royal House of Shadows #4
Lord of the Abyss
The dark prince who inspires fear and passion is her only hopeOnce upon a time…the Blood Sorcerer vanquished the kingdom of Elden. To save their children, the queen scattered them to safety and the king filled them with vengeance. Only a magical timepiece connects the four royal heirs…and time is running out.…As the dark Lord who condemns souls to damnation in the Abyss, Micah is nothing but a feared monster wrapped in impenetrable black armor. He has no idea he is the last heir of Elden, its last hope. Only one woman knows—the daughter of his enemy.Liliana is nothing like her father, the Blood Sorcerer who’d cursed Micah. She sees past Micah’s armor to the prince inside. A prince whose sinful touch she craves. But first she has to brave his dark, dangerous lair and help him remember.Because they only have till midnight to save Elden.
288 pages, ebook
First published November 22, 2011
About the author
Nalini Singh
231 books26.1k followersI've been writing as long as I can remember and all of my stories always held a thread of romance (even when I was writing about a prince who could shoot lasers out of his eyes). I love creating unique characters, love giving them happy endings and I even love the voices in my head. There's no other job I would rather be doing. In September 2002, when I got the call that Silhouette Desire wanted to buy my first book, Desert Warrior, it was a dream come true. I hope to continue living the dream until I keel over of old age on my keyboard.
I was born in Fiji and raised in New Zealand. I also spent three years living and working in Japan, during which time I took the chance to travel around Asia. I’m back in New Zealand now, but I’m always plotting new trips. If you’d like to see some of my travel snapshots, have a look at the Travel Diary page (updated every month).
So far, I've worked as a lawyer, a librarian, a candy factory general hand, a bank temp and an English teacher and not necessarily in that order. Some might call that inconsistency but I call it grist for the writer's mill.
I was born in Fiji and raised in New Zealand. I also spent three years living and working in Japan, during which time I took the chance to travel around Asia. I’m back in New Zealand now, but I’m always plotting new trips. If you’d like to see some of my travel snapshots, have a look at the Travel Diary page (updated every month).
So far, I've worked as a lawyer, a librarian, a candy factory general hand, a bank temp and an English teacher and not necessarily in that order. Some might call that inconsistency but I call it grist for the writer's mill.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 576 reviews
April 13, 2015
4–Enchanted–Star
Lord of the Abyss is a bit different from the Nalini Singh books that I'm use to reading. This creative love story reminded me of a fantastical fantasy you read to children. It was a wonderfully whimsical story that was well written, enchanting, romantic, passionate, and featured a lovable cast of motley characters.
However, as much as I enjoyed the author's storytelling, I did not enjoy listening to it. In fact, the narrator almost ruin the story for me. I felt she read the book too slowly and was irritatingly breathy. I should have stopped listening and switched to reading once I realized the narration wasn't working for me. For some reason, I never seem to learn that lesson.
Still, I was charmed by this delightful story and its wonderfully unique characters.
Lord of the Abyss is a bit different from the Nalini Singh books that I'm use to reading. This creative love story reminded me of a fantastical fantasy you read to children. It was a wonderfully whimsical story that was well written, enchanting, romantic, passionate, and featured a lovable cast of motley characters.
However, as much as I enjoyed the author's storytelling, I did not enjoy listening to it. In fact, the narrator almost ruin the story for me. I felt she read the book too slowly and was irritatingly breathy. I should have stopped listening and switched to reading once I realized the narration wasn't working for me. For some reason, I never seem to learn that lesson.
Still, I was charmed by this delightful story and its wonderfully unique characters.
October 16, 2012
There is a lineage of blood that ties mother to child, a lineage that can never be broken. And it is this lineage the queen used to cast her children away from Elden, to safety, so they could one day return and reclaim their stolen birthright.
It was a mother’s last loving gift, yet the Blood Sorcerer boasts even now that Queen Alvina failed, that he twisted her magic at the end so that instead of finding safe harbor, the heirs of Elden fell into death. There is no one left alive to contradict him.
—From the Royal Chronicles of Elden, on the third day of the Reign of the Blood Sorcerer
Lord of the Abyss is the fourth and final book in the Royal House of Shadows series and one of the sweetest, sexiest, most romantic books I’ve read in a very long time. It doesn’t often happen that I find myself in love with both the hero and the heroine, but Micah and Liliana are amazing people who I couldn’t help but adore. Both tortured by pasts very different from one another are yet so very much alike in their single mindedness and honor, and they will do the right thing regardless of the cost to themselves. They are, quite simply put, the stuff legends are made of.
The world that Nalini Singh created in this installment of the series was awesome. The creatures, the beings… Mouse, Jissa and Bard, I loved them all, even the ghosts who roam the halls of the Black Castle! And speaking of the Black Castle, the lore surrounding it and the Abyss is magically fairytaleesque and so vivid. In my mind’s eye I could see every room, every plant, every food, every… everything and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to see what would happen next. I was totally captivated by the entire tale and as I read I felt somehow honored to be privy to their thoughts and feelings.
Now, about the story. In the previous books, Lord of the Vampires, Lord of Rage and Lord of the Wolfyn, we learn that when their kingdom was attacked by the Blood Sorcerer, Aelfric and Alvina, the King and Queen of Elden, fought for all they held dear, willing to give up their lives if needed to protect their children, their kingdom, and all who dwelt there. When they realized that they were going to die, their final act was one of love, one last effort to protect their children by weaving a powerful spell which sent the four royal heirs, Nicolai, Breena, Dayn and Micah, into different realms in hopes that one day they’d find their way home and defeat the Blood Sorcerer. Each book tells the story of one of the siblings and their journey back to Elden, not knowing exactly what they’d find when they got there.
The way the story develops throughout the first three books, I expected a battle of epic proportions in Lord of the Abyss, but when the battle actually takes place, it really wasn’t much of a battle at all. And much to my disappointment, there was little interaction between these siblings who are seeing each other for the first time in twenty years. Twenty years apart and yet there was no celebration! Or at least, not one we were invited to. So while I loved the story overall, truly loved it, I was very disappointed that we didn’t see some kind of grand reunion, or even a so-so reunion… but there was really nothing much at all, and that’s my only complaint about the book. Had it not ended so abruptly, this would have easily been a 5+++ star read, but even with the ending as it is, I’m still rating this 5 stars, and adding Micah and Liliana to my Top Couples Of All Time shelf.
The bottom line – I still breathe a sigh of contentment when I think of Micah and Liliana, and how very happy their story made me. Dark yet hopeful, tragic yet joyous, Lord of the Abyss is one of my very favorite stories and I know, without a doubt, I’ll be reading it time and time again.
My sincerest thanks to netgalley.com and Harlequin books for providing me with a copy of this wonderful ARC ebook.
December 26, 2015
I was very reluctant to start Lord of the Abyss, to be perfectly honest. I was simply tired of the disappointment, frustration, and rage that I felt during the whole experience of reading the Royal House of Shadows series. I absolutely hated the first book, and disliked the second one. And after skimming the first ten pages of the third book, I got bored out of my wits and shelved it. I was at the point of giving up on the series altogether when I remembered my friend Erika's praise for this book, and because her suggestions have never failed me before, I decided to give it a shot.
And boy, was I glad to have given this a try. I absolutely loved it . This was my first Nalini Singh, and her writing suits me perfectly—succinct without being overly simple, impactful without overdoing things. I am definitely going to read more of her works because she is absolutely fantastic!
Granted, there wasn't really much in the way of character development, but it suited me fine; I loved Prince Micah and Lily the way they were. Okay, so Prince Micah was spoiled and a tad selfish, but he was also very sweet. He was more of a child, really, than a selfish asshole. The difference here is that whereas a child may act selfishly at times, it's normally because he doesn't know any better—there are no ill intentions. On the other hand, an asshole acts selfishly despite being aware of his actions. You see, Micah was only five when he was cursed, and he remained a child inside. He was actually very adorable.
Plus, he prioritised Lily's welfare above everything else.
He also loved her despite her ugly appearance, seeing her true beauty within. Sure, he was over-confident, but if you analyse their relationship closely, you'd understand that he was confident for the both of them. Lily needed him to be like that. If it were up to her, they would never have gotten together. She was too insecure—which was understandable, given the circumstances— to have let their relationship progress further. Thinking herself unworthy of happiness, she would never have had the courage to reach for the love she so clearly deserved.
There's no doubt in my mind that Micah and Lily deserved each other.
Overall, this was amazing. It was definitely worth the pain I had to go through reading about Nicolai and Breena.
And boy, was I glad to have given this a try. I absolutely loved it . This was my first Nalini Singh, and her writing suits me perfectly—succinct without being overly simple, impactful without overdoing things. I am definitely going to read more of her works because she is absolutely fantastic!
Granted, there wasn't really much in the way of character development, but it suited me fine; I loved Prince Micah and Lily the way they were. Okay, so Prince Micah was spoiled and a tad selfish, but he was also very sweet. He was more of a child, really, than a selfish asshole. The difference here is that whereas a child may act selfishly at times, it's normally because he doesn't know any better—there are no ill intentions. On the other hand, an asshole acts selfishly despite being aware of his actions. You see, Micah was only five when he was cursed, and he remained a child inside. He was actually very adorable.
Plus, he prioritised Lily's welfare above everything else.
He wouldn’t hurt Lily. Even when he was very angry with her, he wouldn’t hurt her. Maybe he’d growl at her a little, but she seemed not to mind that very much.
He also loved her despite her ugly appearance, seeing her true beauty within. Sure, he was over-confident, but if you analyse their relationship closely, you'd understand that he was confident for the both of them. Lily needed him to be like that. If it were up to her, they would never have gotten together. She was too insecure—which was understandable, given the circumstances— to have let their relationship progress further. Thinking herself unworthy of happiness, she would never have had the courage to reach for the love she so clearly deserved.
There's no doubt in my mind that Micah and Lily deserved each other.
Overall, this was amazing. It was definitely worth the pain I had to go through reading about Nicolai and Breena.
May 1, 2017
This book is fabulous! I loved everything about it! I wish it was longer! Micah and Liliana were both wonderful!
January 26, 2021
3.5
Keyifle okudum ☺
Keyifle okudum ☺
July 16, 2014
4.5 stars
You know what, I figured out recently that I label a lot of really good books 4.5 stars, meaning it was great, but I have some issues with them. Sorry, irrelevant here, moving on.
Before starting, I should mention that I have read only the first book in the series, the one written by Gena Showalter and found it to be just ok, but this one was...incredible. It was sweet and in many ways light, and I really loved the characters.
Story goes like this...
Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there was a princess whose father was the evil king of the realm...
Well, not exactly a princess, but you get my drift. Liliana has had the misfortune of being the daughter of the Blood Sorcerer, who has treated her cruelly. She has known only the tiniest bit of kindness, but she is determined not to be like her father. She isn't beautiful, on the contrary, which I actually liked, because it's different and it shows, in this book, she didn't have to be to be loved.
One day, the princess decided to escape the dark, evil castle and go looking for the long lost Prince of Elden, with the hope he will save them all...
Basically, time is running out for everyone. If all four siblings who have been lost for decades don't return by the time their magical clocks show midnight, Elden will be forever lost. The three older siblings have been found and they have married and are ready, the only one left is the youngest Micah....
The long lost beloved prince has become the lord of The Abyss. A man who deals in evil and death. He doesn't know he's a prince, all he knows is the darkness...
Micah is hands-down my favorite character. He's stubborn and arrogant, but as Liliana said-not corrupted. He's never had a childhood so seeing him starting to...laugh and tease and love(all the while growling, lol) was so amazing and sweet. He doesn't care about physical beauty, Lilly is beautiful to him because she is brave and she is kind and she is right for him.
The princess has found the prince, but can she make him remember and make him accept who he really is?
She tries with stories she tells like fairy-tales. Slowly making him see this isn't the only person he has ever been. She tries with sweets from his childhood. All right, those sweets were only so he doesn't throw her in the dungeon, but so what? And they slowly start feeling more...
The princess and the prince fall in love and they defeat the secrets and the lies, for love defeats all...
I loved the romance part, too. Here is one scene I loved, which shows how sweet and different Micah is, and how much he cares, and how he has no clue how to handle women....
“Don’t cry.” A snapped order.
She sniffed, fought to hold back the tears. It had never been difficult before. She’d learned early on that her father fed on her fear, and so she’d given him nothing. But today, the tears kept falling.
“I’ll get you another red dress.”
She wiped the backs of her hands over her cheeks at the snarl. “You will?”
He glared down at her. “Yes. But you must not cry. I won’t get you any dresses if you cry.”
“I don’t normally cry.”
“You will never do it.”
“Well, I’m afraid I may sometimes,” she said apologetically. “Women need to cry.”
Lines formed between his brows. “How many times in a year?”
“Maybe five or six,” she said, thinking about it. “But really, it’s usually a very small cry and not in front of anyone.” Always she’d hidden her tears, curled up in some dark corner of the castle.
At that, his scowl grew even darker. “I will permit you to cry four times a year. And you will do it when I am here.”
And the lost prince remembered and together they defeated the dragons and the evil king and the royal family was finally together again...
I actually thought the scene of the reunion should've been more...something. I kind of expected more after twenty years away from each other and all they've been through.
There is one other thing that bugged me
And you know what comes next, right?
And they lived happily ever after...
You know what, I figured out recently that I label a lot of really good books 4.5 stars, meaning it was great, but I have some issues with them. Sorry, irrelevant here, moving on.
Before starting, I should mention that I have read only the first book in the series, the one written by Gena Showalter and found it to be just ok, but this one was...incredible. It was sweet and in many ways light, and I really loved the characters.
Story goes like this...
Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there was a princess whose father was the evil king of the realm...
Well, not exactly a princess, but you get my drift. Liliana has had the misfortune of being the daughter of the Blood Sorcerer, who has treated her cruelly. She has known only the tiniest bit of kindness, but she is determined not to be like her father. She isn't beautiful, on the contrary, which I actually liked, because it's different and it shows, in this book, she didn't have to be to be loved.
One day, the princess decided to escape the dark, evil castle and go looking for the long lost Prince of Elden, with the hope he will save them all...
Basically, time is running out for everyone. If all four siblings who have been lost for decades don't return by the time their magical clocks show midnight, Elden will be forever lost. The three older siblings have been found and they have married and are ready, the only one left is the youngest Micah....
The long lost beloved prince has become the lord of The Abyss. A man who deals in evil and death. He doesn't know he's a prince, all he knows is the darkness...
Micah is hands-down my favorite character. He's stubborn and arrogant, but as Liliana said-not corrupted. He's never had a childhood so seeing him starting to...laugh and tease and love(all the while growling, lol) was so amazing and sweet. He doesn't care about physical beauty, Lilly is beautiful to him because she is brave and she is kind and she is right for him.
The princess has found the prince, but can she make him remember and make him accept who he really is?
She tries with stories she tells like fairy-tales. Slowly making him see this isn't the only person he has ever been. She tries with sweets from his childhood. All right, those sweets were only so he doesn't throw her in the dungeon, but so what? And they slowly start feeling more...
The princess and the prince fall in love and they defeat the secrets and the lies, for love defeats all...
I loved the romance part, too. Here is one scene I loved, which shows how sweet and different Micah is, and how much he cares, and how he has no clue how to handle women....
“Don’t cry.” A snapped order.
She sniffed, fought to hold back the tears. It had never been difficult before. She’d learned early on that her father fed on her fear, and so she’d given him nothing. But today, the tears kept falling.
“I’ll get you another red dress.”
She wiped the backs of her hands over her cheeks at the snarl. “You will?”
He glared down at her. “Yes. But you must not cry. I won’t get you any dresses if you cry.”
“I don’t normally cry.”
“You will never do it.”
“Well, I’m afraid I may sometimes,” she said apologetically. “Women need to cry.”
Lines formed between his brows. “How many times in a year?”
“Maybe five or six,” she said, thinking about it. “But really, it’s usually a very small cry and not in front of anyone.” Always she’d hidden her tears, curled up in some dark corner of the castle.
At that, his scowl grew even darker. “I will permit you to cry four times a year. And you will do it when I am here.”
And the lost prince remembered and together they defeated the dragons and the evil king and the royal family was finally together again...
I actually thought the scene of the reunion should've been more...something. I kind of expected more after twenty years away from each other and all they've been through.
There is one other thing that bugged me
And you know what comes next, right?
And they lived happily ever after...
April 18, 2020
Now this was the best of the series, and the reason I picked it. Nalini Singh does such a fantastic job of world building, and making it easy for a reader to visualize everything that’s happening as you read or listen to her books. I loved the enemies to lovers trope, the not so pretty characters, and I really enjoyed the battle. For a shorter read, this really had a lot to it. I am glad I read all the books in the series to get to know all the couples and the world they lived in.
July 22, 2024
3.5 stars rounded up
As a note about this series - there's an intro from a historical record to start the book to provide the background of the series. I jumped into this one without reading the others because this was the one that intrigued me the most and I wasn't lost on what was happening. The rest of the siblings actually play very little part in this book.
Liliana (h) and Micah (H) were driving forces of personality in this fantasy story. Each was shaped by their circumstances in fascinating ways and both were protective and giving, though Micah was also selfish when it came specifically to Liliana. Liliana especially had such a strength of will and character, always pushing herself despite the odds stacked against her and her own perceived weaknesses thanks to the torturous upbringing she survived. Micah was an interesting foil to her with the blankness of his childhood memories and lack of care as an adult for what was expected or “normal”, he did what he wanted, but he was also the right person to be a guardian.
These two are their realm’s best chance at defeating a power hungry sorcerer, though Micah has no idea and Liliana has tasked herself with slowly reminding him of his past so he can save and claim the future. She just had no idea he was also going to claim her along the way lol. Both are also powerful, each in their own right, even when Liliana thought she wasn’t.
Written in third person, mostly dual POV with one small part in the villain’s POV. No ow/om drama and both are inexperienced and each other’s firsts.
I really enjoyed this as a standalone with the bits of worldbuilding and how resilient the main characters were. I never knew what to expect from Micah and neither did Liliana. I did wish that there had been less mentions of her father in her head once it was established how often he used her and beat her down (sometimes literally). She was an odd mix of accepting of herself but then hyper focused on her faults (she’s not attractive and it gets mentioned repeatedly, yay for the fact that Micah could care less though). I did love the way Micah was immediately fascinated with Liliana, how his remembering was incorporated, and how his armor was connected. Also, the steam was well done, including his curiosity over her body and how he’d try to be sly about investigating that.
I did think the author’s writing in this one didn’t flow quite the way it does in some of her other books I’ve read. Magic is also a handy solution to pretty much everything, even when their backs are against a wall and you think they’re tapped out. Also, it always frustrates me a bit when I read a book and the transitions between scenes/POV aren't clearly delineated and unfortunately that happens here. I'd finish a paragraph and start the next one, only to realize it was the next day and a new POV.
Micah’s servants were such great characters and even the mouse that Liliana befriended was special. The magical beings in this world were plentiful and while most were tools of the villain, they still made for an engaging supporting cast when introduced.
The climax did not go as I expected at all and I was a little disappointed how the final showdown occurred, though the end of it was super emotional. I wish that more had been involved however. The epilogue is their HEA a little bit later and was very sweet. Micah was just so gone for her and I will always eat that dynamic up.
As a note about this series - there's an intro from a historical record to start the book to provide the background of the series. I jumped into this one without reading the others because this was the one that intrigued me the most and I wasn't lost on what was happening. The rest of the siblings actually play very little part in this book.
Liliana (h) and Micah (H) were driving forces of personality in this fantasy story. Each was shaped by their circumstances in fascinating ways and both were protective and giving, though Micah was also selfish when it came specifically to Liliana. Liliana especially had such a strength of will and character, always pushing herself despite the odds stacked against her and her own perceived weaknesses thanks to the torturous upbringing she survived. Micah was an interesting foil to her with the blankness of his childhood memories and lack of care as an adult for what was expected or “normal”, he did what he wanted, but he was also the right person to be a guardian.
These two are their realm’s best chance at defeating a power hungry sorcerer, though Micah has no idea and Liliana has tasked herself with slowly reminding him of his past so he can save and claim the future. She just had no idea he was also going to claim her along the way lol. Both are also powerful, each in their own right, even when Liliana thought she wasn’t.
Written in third person, mostly dual POV with one small part in the villain’s POV. No ow/om drama and both are inexperienced and each other’s firsts.
I really enjoyed this as a standalone with the bits of worldbuilding and how resilient the main characters were. I never knew what to expect from Micah and neither did Liliana. I did wish that there had been less mentions of her father in her head once it was established how often he used her and beat her down (sometimes literally). She was an odd mix of accepting of herself but then hyper focused on her faults (she’s not attractive and it gets mentioned repeatedly, yay for the fact that Micah could care less though). I did love the way Micah was immediately fascinated with Liliana, how his remembering was incorporated, and how his armor was connected. Also, the steam was well done, including his curiosity over her body and how he’d try to be sly about investigating that.
I did think the author’s writing in this one didn’t flow quite the way it does in some of her other books I’ve read. Magic is also a handy solution to pretty much everything, even when their backs are against a wall and you think they’re tapped out. Also, it always frustrates me a bit when I read a book and the transitions between scenes/POV aren't clearly delineated and unfortunately that happens here. I'd finish a paragraph and start the next one, only to realize it was the next day and a new POV.
Micah’s servants were such great characters and even the mouse that Liliana befriended was special. The magical beings in this world were plentiful and while most were tools of the villain, they still made for an engaging supporting cast when introduced.
The climax did not go as I expected at all and I was a little disappointed how the final showdown occurred, though the end of it was super emotional. I wish that more had been involved however. The epilogue is their HEA a little bit later and was very sweet. Micah was just so gone for her and I will always eat that dynamic up.
January 21, 2012
I have no idea why I waited so long to read this book. After all, I love Ms. Singh, she's my favorite author and I have a surprisingly large number of her books on my favorites shelf. True, I didn't like the first 2 books in the series much, but still. Ms. Singh, I'm terribly sorry for doubting you, I promise it won't happen again. :-)
Anyway, back to the book. I really, really love it.
Micah is a great hero, all grumpy and arrogant,powerful as hell, but he's just a marshmallow inside.
For all him being the Lord of the Black Castle AKA The Boogeyman of all magical creatures, he's not evil. In fact, he's the polar opposite of evil. He can't even understand it completely. True, he has his rages, but even then, he behaves more like an animal, no true menace in his actions.
His life changes dramatically when Liliana appears.She makes him remember things better left forgotten. But, at the same time, she brings joy to him.
Liliana has an important mission to carry out: make sure that Micah remembers his past, so that he could save Elden from a dreadful fate (her father). So she comes to Black Castle hoping to save the world:
Her childhood was a nightmare, she was tortured repeatedly by her father, simply for being of his blood. As a result she's willing to do whatever it takes to stop him. And then she meets Micah.
He's not what she expected, not at all. He sees beneath the surface (of an ugly woman) to her heart - he sees a beautiful woman.
I love how they are together - the teasing, the conversations, no hiding behind walls, or from their feelings. They see each other with no rose tinted glasses.
Castle of Elden:
The only tiny thing that might have bothered me if everything else wasn't so perfect, is the ending. The whole big battle thing was a bit anticlimactic for me. But since I never really cared about the other royals, the prophecy and all that stuff, it was truly minor.
Some of the quotes I liked are included below.
All in all, an amazing book.
Rating:
5 stars
Anyway, back to the book. I really, really love it.
Micah is a great hero, all grumpy and arrogant,powerful as hell, but he's just a marshmallow inside.
For all him being the Lord of the Black Castle AKA The Boogeyman of all magical creatures, he's not evil. In fact, he's the polar opposite of evil. He can't even understand it completely. True, he has his rages, but even then, he behaves more like an animal, no true menace in his actions.
His life changes dramatically when Liliana appears.She makes him remember things better left forgotten. But, at the same time, she brings joy to him.
Liliana has an important mission to carry out: make sure that Micah remembers his past, so that he could save Elden from a dreadful fate (her father). So she comes to Black Castle hoping to save the world:
Her childhood was a nightmare, she was tortured repeatedly by her father, simply for being of his blood. As a result she's willing to do whatever it takes to stop him. And then she meets Micah.
He's not what she expected, not at all. He sees beneath the surface (of an ugly woman) to her heart - he sees a beautiful woman.
I love how they are together - the teasing, the conversations, no hiding behind walls, or from their feelings. They see each other with no rose tinted glasses.
Castle of Elden:
The only tiny thing that might have bothered me if everything else wasn't so perfect, is the ending. The whole big battle thing was a bit anticlimactic for me. But since I never really cared about the other royals, the prophecy and all that stuff, it was truly minor.
Some of the quotes I liked are included below.
All in all, an amazing book.
Rating:
5 stars
March 11, 2016
Book 4
4.5 stars
Clearly the best on in the series.
Here we have a virgin hero and the author does well with this. The h is a reverse beauty and the beast. The story was wonderful. I reduced 1/2 star because I felt the end got sloppy. There were too many creatures, conflicts with them resolved too easily and too fast.
-------Overall take on series----------------
I felt that these should have been stand alones. The siblings did little together with each other. I was expecting them all to come together to kill the blood sorcerer as one. The first 3 books didn't have an ending nor did I feel any of them were truly tied to one another (which is what I was expecting).
4.5 stars
Clearly the best on in the series.
Here we have a virgin hero and the author does well with this. The h is a reverse beauty and the beast. The story was wonderful. I reduced 1/2 star because I felt the end got sloppy. There were too many creatures, conflicts with them resolved too easily and too fast.
-------Overall take on series----------------
I felt that these should have been stand alones. The siblings did little together with each other. I was expecting them all to come together to kill the blood sorcerer as one. The first 3 books didn't have an ending nor did I feel any of them were truly tied to one another (which is what I was expecting).
December 30, 2021
No review. Just long dreamy sighs.
October 7, 2011
4.5 flames
http://www.demonloversbooksandmore.co...
This book was fantastic! Absolutely one of my favorites this year. Why not 5 flames you ask? One thing-this was the last book in the series The Royal House of Shadows, and I felt very little closure at the end. The book as a stand-alone could be a fiver, but...it isn’t a stand-alone.
But the parts that wowed me? Let me tell you-the heroine is the Blood Sorcerer’s daughter Liliana. She is also very unattractive. And you know what, by a third of the way in, she wasn’t so unattractive to me anymore. I began to see her through Micah’s eyes.
Micah, oh sweet, innocent Micah. The best virgin hero I’ve ever EVER read. He maintains his childlike innocence throughout his horrible life as the Lord of the Abyss. He is basically an angel of death to those evil souls who spend their eternity in the Abyss. But through it all, he carves out his own life, and has two friends. He is very solitary, and has never craved anything the way he finds himself craving this very brave, very ugly Liliana. But he doesn’t just see Liliana’s features. He sees a woman willing to look him in the eye, one who doesn’t fear him, or who isn’t only near him for the danger. She is in earnest, she is humbling, and she is soft in all the right places.
Liliana fears what Micah will do once he finds out she is the Blood Sorcerer’s daughter, no, actually she knows what he will do-he will hate her for eternity. Pain she can handle, but she doesn’t want Micah’s hate. Especially not after she’s finally earned his trust.
The epilogue was nice, but I wish we’d seen more interaction between the siblings. The action scenes were wonderful, the love scenes so so SO sweet and hot and I’m running out of adjectives! I admit I am new to Nalini Singh’s writing as this is only the third of her books I’ve read, but she has such a seductive style of writing and I can’t put her books down!
The romance was more than I’d hoped for. It was true, it was sweet, and it was so lovely. After you see Liliana through Micah’s eyes, you’ll love her too.
Thank you to www.netgalley.com for the ARC
http://www.demonloversbooksandmore.co...
This book was fantastic! Absolutely one of my favorites this year. Why not 5 flames you ask? One thing-this was the last book in the series The Royal House of Shadows, and I felt very little closure at the end. The book as a stand-alone could be a fiver, but...it isn’t a stand-alone.
But the parts that wowed me? Let me tell you-the heroine is the Blood Sorcerer’s daughter Liliana. She is also very unattractive. And you know what, by a third of the way in, she wasn’t so unattractive to me anymore. I began to see her through Micah’s eyes.
Micah, oh sweet, innocent Micah. The best virgin hero I’ve ever EVER read. He maintains his childlike innocence throughout his horrible life as the Lord of the Abyss. He is basically an angel of death to those evil souls who spend their eternity in the Abyss. But through it all, he carves out his own life, and has two friends. He is very solitary, and has never craved anything the way he finds himself craving this very brave, very ugly Liliana. But he doesn’t just see Liliana’s features. He sees a woman willing to look him in the eye, one who doesn’t fear him, or who isn’t only near him for the danger. She is in earnest, she is humbling, and she is soft in all the right places.
Liliana fears what Micah will do once he finds out she is the Blood Sorcerer’s daughter, no, actually she knows what he will do-he will hate her for eternity. Pain she can handle, but she doesn’t want Micah’s hate. Especially not after she’s finally earned his trust.
The epilogue was nice, but I wish we’d seen more interaction between the siblings. The action scenes were wonderful, the love scenes so so SO sweet and hot and I’m running out of adjectives! I admit I am new to Nalini Singh’s writing as this is only the third of her books I’ve read, but she has such a seductive style of writing and I can’t put her books down!
The romance was more than I’d hoped for. It was true, it was sweet, and it was so lovely. After you see Liliana through Micah’s eyes, you’ll love her too.
Thank you to www.netgalley.com for the ARC
December 19, 2014
I loved this book and devoured it from start to finish. Although it's the 4rth book in a series, I had absolutely no problem understanding the world building or the dynamics between the characters. The story starts straight away with the heroine landing on the hero's castle after casting a spell. She means to warn him of his legacy and convince him to return to fight the evil sorcerer -who happens to be her father- before time runs up. The hero doesn't remember anything about his childhood and so she has to bring it to him gradually, without presenting him with her role in the whole situation.
Micah, is the Lord of the Abyss, the place where all the evil ones are exiled. That means he has to be ruthless, terrifying and powerful. It also means that because of these attributes, he has been terribly alone since everyone who meets him fears him. Not so Lilliana, who is the first person to stand up to him. She intrigues him and soon, this intrigue turns into attraction despite her uncomely looks.
Lilliana is afraid to believe that such a beautiful, sensual, powerful man would want her when he can have his pick between much lovelier lasses than herself. She's also afraid what he'll do when he realizes that she's the daughter of his enemy, the man who killed his parents and took over their land. She tries to keep her distance, but that seems harder and harder.
The attraction between those two was sizzling hot and I enjoyed every minute of it. I loved Micah, he was sweet and honorable and oh, so frank about his feelings:) I also loved Lilliana: she was strong enough without being bitchy, aware about her looks without being a cry-puppy, doubting herself without being annoying and kept her secrets just as long as it took to make things interesting without delving into sheer stuborness or stupidity. They were just so perfect together, I was very happy to see them get their HEA.
There was also enough action and suspense to keep the story going anyway. The battle against the Black Sorcerer ended a little more abruptly than I expected and Micah's reuniting with his family didn't take more than a line or two, but these are minor complaints compared with the romance which was beyond satisfying.
ARC provided by NetGalley
Micah, is the Lord of the Abyss, the place where all the evil ones are exiled. That means he has to be ruthless, terrifying and powerful. It also means that because of these attributes, he has been terribly alone since everyone who meets him fears him. Not so Lilliana, who is the first person to stand up to him. She intrigues him and soon, this intrigue turns into attraction despite her uncomely looks.
Lilliana is afraid to believe that such a beautiful, sensual, powerful man would want her when he can have his pick between much lovelier lasses than herself. She's also afraid what he'll do when he realizes that she's the daughter of his enemy, the man who killed his parents and took over their land. She tries to keep her distance, but that seems harder and harder.
The attraction between those two was sizzling hot and I enjoyed every minute of it. I loved Micah, he was sweet and honorable and oh, so frank about his feelings:) I also loved Lilliana: she was strong enough without being bitchy, aware about her looks without being a cry-puppy, doubting herself without being annoying and kept her secrets just as long as it took to make things interesting without delving into sheer stuborness or stupidity. They were just so perfect together, I was very happy to see them get their HEA.
There was also enough action and suspense to keep the story going anyway. The battle against the Black Sorcerer ended a little more abruptly than I expected and Micah's reuniting with his family didn't take more than a line or two, but these are minor complaints compared with the romance which was beyond satisfying.
ARC provided by NetGalley
December 2, 2018
Now I recall why I’d chosen to skip to book 4 of this series. I have no issues whatsoever reading any series out of order!
The reason? LOVE Micah! From his name (this was the name of my first boy crush from Russia) to his virginity (MEOW!) to his looks (my darling Mr Blondie Bun!) to his personality and the fact that he loves the h for HER personality, not for her looks, which were pretty unattractive at first.
What’s not to love?
Why not 5 stars? Bc there were bits that moved a bit slow I guess. This is a good mix of romance and fantasy, maybe not really PNR. Writing is pretty good. Love scenes pretty good. Just lacking the WOW factor somehow.
The story is unique enuf that I recalled reading it the moment I started again, and this was many years ago! But not good enuf to stick in my mind obviously or to make me a die hard fan and stalker of this author. I don’t believe I’ve read other books of hers, even tho I tried and got samples, couldn’t get past the samples somehow...
But it was good! I liked the h and esp. the H, but don’t feel any burning need to continue reading this author’s works. May check some out if a story really grabs me, but likely will be one offs.
The reason? LOVE Micah! From his name (this was the name of my first boy crush from Russia) to his virginity (MEOW!) to his looks (my darling Mr Blondie Bun!) to his personality and the fact that he loves the h for HER personality, not for her looks, which were pretty unattractive at first.
What’s not to love?
Why not 5 stars? Bc there were bits that moved a bit slow I guess. This is a good mix of romance and fantasy, maybe not really PNR. Writing is pretty good. Love scenes pretty good. Just lacking the WOW factor somehow.
The story is unique enuf that I recalled reading it the moment I started again, and this was many years ago! But not good enuf to stick in my mind obviously or to make me a die hard fan and stalker of this author. I don’t believe I’ve read other books of hers, even tho I tried and got samples, couldn’t get past the samples somehow...
But it was good! I liked the h and esp. the H, but don’t feel any burning need to continue reading this author’s works. May check some out if a story really grabs me, but likely will be one offs.
November 6, 2011
Lord of the Abyss is Nalini Singh’s contribution to the Royal House of Shadows series. This fourth and final book focuses on Micah, the youngest child of King Alfric and Queen Olivina.
I did not read the first three books in the series, but I did not feel as if I had missed anything. The background of the series is recapped well.
Micah was taken from his family at a young age and was ensorcelled by the blood sorcerer. Micah is now an imposing figure: He is the Lord of the Abyss. He is a large man, covered in a black armor from head to toe.
The blood sorcerer’s daughter arrives at Micah’s castle on a mission to help him remember who he is and return him to Elden. She needs to do this before the blood sorcerer’s magic becomes permanent. As Liliana enters Micah’s life, he undergoes some changes.
What an engaging read. I could not put this book down. Nalini Singh weaves a captivating tale that had me rooting for our hero and heroine. The writing is beautiful and descriptive: the imagery of the Abyss captured the horror and despair of that place. The story was well paced and there were some scary magical creatures (giant spiders!). I did feel that the ending was a little bit rushed.
As for Micah and Liliana, I loved how their relationship progressed. Liliana began to enthrall him with stories about his past. Micah was intrigued by Liliana’s presence which began to tame the monster within him. Their moments together were tender, loving, and sensual.
I’ve made it my mission to catch up on all of Nalini Singh’s wonderful books. I can’t believe that it has taken me so long to discover this wonderful author.
I did not read the first three books in the series, but I did not feel as if I had missed anything. The background of the series is recapped well.
Micah was taken from his family at a young age and was ensorcelled by the blood sorcerer. Micah is now an imposing figure: He is the Lord of the Abyss. He is a large man, covered in a black armor from head to toe.
The blood sorcerer’s daughter arrives at Micah’s castle on a mission to help him remember who he is and return him to Elden. She needs to do this before the blood sorcerer’s magic becomes permanent. As Liliana enters Micah’s life, he undergoes some changes.
What an engaging read. I could not put this book down. Nalini Singh weaves a captivating tale that had me rooting for our hero and heroine. The writing is beautiful and descriptive: the imagery of the Abyss captured the horror and despair of that place. The story was well paced and there were some scary magical creatures (giant spiders!). I did feel that the ending was a little bit rushed.
As for Micah and Liliana, I loved how their relationship progressed. Liliana began to enthrall him with stories about his past. Micah was intrigued by Liliana’s presence which began to tame the monster within him. Their moments together were tender, loving, and sensual.
I’ve made it my mission to catch up on all of Nalini Singh’s wonderful books. I can’t believe that it has taken me so long to discover this wonderful author.
Read
October 10, 2011Standing alone, I give this book high marks. It's a unique, highly sensual tale. Nalini Singh is an author who always delivers something special.
But when considering as part of the 4-book series, and the series finale', and discussing the conclusion of the series as a whole, it comes as a disappointment because we get no sense of WHY all of the siblings had to be present at the end. We see only Micah and Lily's scene, battling the Blood Sorcerer. We don't see the other siblings as a part of what needs to be done. In addition, there's no interaction, no meetup, no celebration of the reunion. It's almost like we need someone to write some sort of epilogue for the series itself.
But when considering as part of the 4-book series, and the series finale', and discussing the conclusion of the series as a whole, it comes as a disappointment because we get no sense of WHY all of the siblings had to be present at the end. We see only Micah and Lily's scene, battling the Blood Sorcerer. We don't see the other siblings as a part of what needs to be done. In addition, there's no interaction, no meetup, no celebration of the reunion. It's almost like we need someone to write some sort of epilogue for the series itself.
January 7, 2015
4.5 stars! Loved this book! Micah&Liliana were so sweet<3
May 9, 2018
3.5 Stars
October 12, 2011
Lord of the Abyss is the last book in the Royal House of Shadows series and it was by far my favourite! Singh crafts a stunning visualization of The Guardian of the Abyss – black armor that covers him from neck to ankle, gauntlet arm with sharp talons, blonde hair with winter-green eyes. This man can only be Micah, the youngest of the Elden heirs and he is definitely my favourite of all the heroes in this series!(sorry Osborn!). I loved his arrogance and his determination. They were admirable but probably the best thing about Micah was the transformation he made in this book. Stone-cold and lonely, he was a man used to giving orders. But when Liliana comes into his land and defies him, he doesn’t know whether to punish or applaud her tenacity.
Lily made this book for me! She is a tortured soul whose past is unbearable and undeserving. What I loved most about her is her gentleness. So kind and warm-hearted, she made me smile at various parts of this book because of her heart. It’s great heroines like her that make me want to devour books like these. But along with her warmness, there’s a steel spine in Liliana that piques Micah’s interests. She doesn’t allow Micah to trample over her even though he has the most power. In fact, in this relationship, I would say that Lily holds the most power. She can bring Micah to his knees.
The romance was wonderful. I loved the secret teasing moments between the two and loved the action towards the end, leading up to the big finale. It was what this series needed and Singh definitely delivered.
There were some areas that were a little bit confusing. So many different creatures sprung out of nowhere that I wondered what kind of world Elden was but it kept things interesting and fun.
And Singh’s writing continues to amaze me. I just adore her writing style and couldn’t put this book down! I read it in one sitting!
Overall, Lord of the Abyss is a keeper for me. With enough romance and action moulded into one, I’ll be picking up Micah and sweet Lily to read once again.
Lily made this book for me! She is a tortured soul whose past is unbearable and undeserving. What I loved most about her is her gentleness. So kind and warm-hearted, she made me smile at various parts of this book because of her heart. It’s great heroines like her that make me want to devour books like these. But along with her warmness, there’s a steel spine in Liliana that piques Micah’s interests. She doesn’t allow Micah to trample over her even though he has the most power. In fact, in this relationship, I would say that Lily holds the most power. She can bring Micah to his knees.
The romance was wonderful. I loved the secret teasing moments between the two and loved the action towards the end, leading up to the big finale. It was what this series needed and Singh definitely delivered.
There were some areas that were a little bit confusing. So many different creatures sprung out of nowhere that I wondered what kind of world Elden was but it kept things interesting and fun.
And Singh’s writing continues to amaze me. I just adore her writing style and couldn’t put this book down! I read it in one sitting!
Overall, Lord of the Abyss is a keeper for me. With enough romance and action moulded into one, I’ll be picking up Micah and sweet Lily to read once again.
February 16, 2016
Me encantó esta historia, me gustó la relación entre ellos (él como el temido Guardián y Señor del Abismo, ella como su cocinera), me gustó esa esfera en la que viven, con ese castillo lleno de fantasmas...
Micah desapareció cuando tenía cinco años y cuando despertó era el Señor del Abismo, un hombre hecho y derecho sin recuerdos pero con una magia poderosa. Micah es un ser solitario que lo desconoce todo, Liliana le da eso. Le da alegría, le da las experiencias que le han sido robadas, le da ese brillo pícaro en los ojos que debió haber sido suyo cuando era adolescente, lo mima como debería haber sido mimado siendo un niño sin familia, le da amor, le da amabilidad... Y Micah se hace más fuerte a medida que Liliana está a su alrededor. Es lindo de ver.
Liliana es la más madura de los dos, tuvo una vida penosa a manos de su padre, el Mago Sangriento, su cuerpo está marcado por la experiencia de vivir con semejante monstruo, pero su corazón sigue intacto. Guarda un amor tremendo y una bondad que solo desean devolver el esplendor a Elden y entregar el trono que su padre robó a sus legítimos herederos. Liliana es fea, fea de verdad (pelo de rata, ojos deslucidos, boca como un tajo en su cara, nariz de bruja). No tiene un cuerpo que "compense" la fealdad de su rostro así que cuando el hermoso Micah fija sus ojos en ella no puede menos que sorprenderse como el resto del mundo. Y lo más lindo es que a Micah no le importa, de verdad no lo hace, la quiere, la desea así como es. Es tan hermoso.
Así que con esto cierro otra serie, la empecé hace cuatro años sino más, y hoy le puse fin con este hermoso libro de Nalini. La espera valió la pena.
Micah desapareció cuando tenía cinco años y cuando despertó era el Señor del Abismo, un hombre hecho y derecho sin recuerdos pero con una magia poderosa. Micah es un ser solitario que lo desconoce todo, Liliana le da eso. Le da alegría, le da las experiencias que le han sido robadas, le da ese brillo pícaro en los ojos que debió haber sido suyo cuando era adolescente, lo mima como debería haber sido mimado siendo un niño sin familia, le da amor, le da amabilidad... Y Micah se hace más fuerte a medida que Liliana está a su alrededor. Es lindo de ver.
Liliana es la más madura de los dos, tuvo una vida penosa a manos de su padre, el Mago Sangriento, su cuerpo está marcado por la experiencia de vivir con semejante monstruo, pero su corazón sigue intacto. Guarda un amor tremendo y una bondad que solo desean devolver el esplendor a Elden y entregar el trono que su padre robó a sus legítimos herederos. Liliana es fea, fea de verdad (pelo de rata, ojos deslucidos, boca como un tajo en su cara, nariz de bruja). No tiene un cuerpo que "compense" la fealdad de su rostro así que cuando el hermoso Micah fija sus ojos en ella no puede menos que sorprenderse como el resto del mundo. Y lo más lindo es que a Micah no le importa, de verdad no lo hace, la quiere, la desea así como es. Es tan hermoso.
Así que con esto cierro otra serie, la empecé hace cuatro años sino más, y hoy le puse fin con este hermoso libro de Nalini. La espera valió la pena.
December 12, 2011
Great version of 'Beauty & The Beast'... but the 'Battle Scene' was really anti-climatic.
I was kinda hoping for all the siblings and their mates to have a huge glorious battle, where all their powers would come to full force, and defeat the Blood Sorcerer once and for all.
... that's just what I was expecting and hoping for!
I was kinda hoping for all the siblings and their mates to have a huge glorious battle, where all their powers would come to full force, and defeat the Blood Sorcerer once and for all.
... that's just what I was expecting and hoping for!
October 31, 2023
Quickie Review-May contain spoilers, fair warning upon reading this review.
Lord of the Abyss was recommended to me by a fellow book friend, who really loved this one and when she mentioned that it had beauty and beast vibes and very similar gothic undertones to that of Lair of the Lion by Feehan, I just knew that this book was one that I needed to read. And I also wanted to try to pick this one up for Halloween vibes and it was so perfect. This is out of order of a series, but it can still be read as a standalone if needed. I really enjoyed what the Lord of the Abyss offered here. It has all the vibes I love to see in a fantasy or paranromal romance. Nalini Singh always knows how to write such great stuff, but this is most definitely one of my favorites from her. I wouldn't have minded it being a bit longer though, but even with its length, it was a true gem. There is so much magic and intrigue and smexy vibes contained within this story. And the retelling aspect was so well done. I loved the connections to the "Beauty and the Beast" tale. So if you are looking for the perfect smexy spooky gothic romance to read, I highly recommend you grab this one up here. Its a pure delight and will definitely be buying to to place on my shelf.
Lord of the Abyss was recommended to me by a fellow book friend, who really loved this one and when she mentioned that it had beauty and beast vibes and very similar gothic undertones to that of Lair of the Lion by Feehan, I just knew that this book was one that I needed to read. And I also wanted to try to pick this one up for Halloween vibes and it was so perfect. This is out of order of a series, but it can still be read as a standalone if needed. I really enjoyed what the Lord of the Abyss offered here. It has all the vibes I love to see in a fantasy or paranromal romance. Nalini Singh always knows how to write such great stuff, but this is most definitely one of my favorites from her. I wouldn't have minded it being a bit longer though, but even with its length, it was a true gem. There is so much magic and intrigue and smexy vibes contained within this story. And the retelling aspect was so well done. I loved the connections to the "Beauty and the Beast" tale. So if you are looking for the perfect smexy spooky gothic romance to read, I highly recommend you grab this one up here. Its a pure delight and will definitely be buying to to place on my shelf.
October 18, 2011
A sacrifice by their dying parents magically sent four royal siblings to safety when an evil sorcerer took over their kingdom and its now up to the daughter of the enemy to bring the final prince back home in order to free the kingdom from the blight of her father's reign...
I only have read two and a half books of the four-author/four-book Royal House of Shadows Continuum, but Lord of the Abyss, which completes series, is definitely my favorite of the three books at this point. Like the previous books, Singh shared the same setup and chose a fairy tale for inspiration for her contribution. On my own I never quite figured out which fairytale it was that Singh had picked, but after reading the interview with the four authors talking about the “making” of the Royal House of Shadows, I discovered Lord of the Abyss was a take off on Beauty on the Beast with the twist that the beast is the one who is beautiful.
Singh, who a favorite author of mine, does a great job telling a story that has a more solid fairy tale feel than the other books in the continuum since both of the leads are from the fantasy world – instead one of the leads being pulled from our world into theirs. The romance between Liliana - the homely but kindhearted daughter of the villainous Blood Sorcerer - and Micah - the littlest prince who slumbered through his childhood and is now cursed and feared as the monster who guards the gate to the hellish Abyss - is both sweet and spicy. I really liked the brave Lily, who wins her way out of the dungeon with the promise of palatable meals, to earn Micah's trust and help him to start to remember himself by giving him 'tastes' of his childhood. I also enjoyed watching as Lily slowly tames the fearsome 'beast' and helps Micah to regain his memory by telling him bed times 'stories' which are actually pieces of his forgotten childhood adventures with his siblings. And it is really satisfying to watch as Micah - who as an odd mix of child and grown-up, doesn't come with the same set of preconceptions about appearances, so doesn't even seem to notice Lily's less than beautiful exterior - is able to give Lily the love she has always been denied.
Even though all four Royal House of Shadows authors eventually bring their leads back home to reclaim their parents' kingdom, both of the stories that I read from start to finish can be read as standalones. This was true for Lord of the Wolfyn and is true for Lord of the Abyss as well, since the presence previous leads is miniscule. This ability to pick up the series with this final book is a plus for readers who decided to pick and choose from the four books, but for those who have read all (or most) of the books, it would have been nice to have a bit more of a reunion at the end. Personally, I was actually looking forward to an epic battle waged by all of the siblings and their mates, but once Lily and Micah make it back to 'the Kingdom', they resolve the conflict for the whole series fairly quickly with the other siblings appearing only briefly to help with the aftermath.
Still on the whole, I thought that the fairy tale 'retelling' in the Royal House of Shadows was a fun idea and I enjoyed Nalini Singh's Lord of the Abyss and Jessica Anderson's Little Red Ridinghood inspired Lord of the Wolfyn enough to buy Jill Monroe's Goldilocks based Lord of Rage, and to give Showalter's Alice in Wonderland spin in Lord of the Vampires another shot.
I only have read two and a half books of the four-author/four-book Royal House of Shadows Continuum, but Lord of the Abyss, which completes series, is definitely my favorite of the three books at this point. Like the previous books, Singh shared the same setup and chose a fairy tale for inspiration for her contribution. On my own I never quite figured out which fairytale it was that Singh had picked, but after reading the interview with the four authors talking about the “making” of the Royal House of Shadows, I discovered Lord of the Abyss was a take off on Beauty on the Beast with the twist that the beast is the one who is beautiful.
Singh, who a favorite author of mine, does a great job telling a story that has a more solid fairy tale feel than the other books in the continuum since both of the leads are from the fantasy world – instead one of the leads being pulled from our world into theirs. The romance between Liliana - the homely but kindhearted daughter of the villainous Blood Sorcerer - and Micah - the littlest prince who slumbered through his childhood and is now cursed and feared as the monster who guards the gate to the hellish Abyss - is both sweet and spicy. I really liked the brave Lily, who wins her way out of the dungeon with the promise of palatable meals, to earn Micah's trust and help him to start to remember himself by giving him 'tastes' of his childhood. I also enjoyed watching as Lily slowly tames the fearsome 'beast' and helps Micah to regain his memory by telling him bed times 'stories' which are actually pieces of his forgotten childhood adventures with his siblings. And it is really satisfying to watch as Micah - who as an odd mix of child and grown-up, doesn't come with the same set of preconceptions about appearances, so doesn't even seem to notice Lily's less than beautiful exterior - is able to give Lily the love she has always been denied.
Even though all four Royal House of Shadows authors eventually bring their leads back home to reclaim their parents' kingdom, both of the stories that I read from start to finish can be read as standalones. This was true for Lord of the Wolfyn and is true for Lord of the Abyss as well, since the presence previous leads is miniscule. This ability to pick up the series with this final book is a plus for readers who decided to pick and choose from the four books, but for those who have read all (or most) of the books, it would have been nice to have a bit more of a reunion at the end. Personally, I was actually looking forward to an epic battle waged by all of the siblings and their mates, but once Lily and Micah make it back to 'the Kingdom', they resolve the conflict for the whole series fairly quickly with the other siblings appearing only briefly to help with the aftermath.
Still on the whole, I thought that the fairy tale 'retelling' in the Royal House of Shadows was a fun idea and I enjoyed Nalini Singh's Lord of the Abyss and Jessica Anderson's Little Red Ridinghood inspired Lord of the Wolfyn enough to buy Jill Monroe's Goldilocks based Lord of Rage, and to give Showalter's Alice in Wonderland spin in Lord of the Vampires another shot.
November 23, 2011
The 'Royal House of Shadows' series has been a little choppy for me - while I enjoyed Jill Monroe's 'Lord of Rage', I really didn't like Showalter's 'Lord of the Vampires' or Andersen's 'Lord of the Wolfyn' books... but Nalini Singh has brought it!!! 'Lord of the Abyss' was spectacular (I only wish the others were of this exceptional caliber) and an amazing finale for this somewhat confusing series.
All of the books in this series are loosely based on well known fairy tales - Alice in Wonderland, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and Little Red Riding Hood. It's not immediately obvious which fairy tale LotA is drawn from, but as the story progresses you can see elements from Beauty and the Beast - only Singh has reworked it and crafted an enchanting story where beauty comes from within and lies in the eye of the beholder and it's ambiguous to whom the beast can refer to. I think it could be argued that both hero and heroine have elements of both.
The overall story arc of RHoS focuses on four royal siblings and their attempts to return to their home kingdom of Elden and reclaim it from the treacherous Blood Sorcerer. This is the story of Micah, the youngest and by far my favorite in the family. A young boy when Elden was overthrown, he was sent to the Black Castle at the edge of the Abyss (essentially hell) and claimed as its new lord. Although Micah is the gate keeper of hell and feared by many, he's retained his guilelessness and nobility - which makes him a very yummy hero! Our heroine is Liliana, the daughter of the Blood Sorcerer. A sorceress herself who despises her father, she's divined that without Micah, the attempt to reclaim Elden by his siblings will fail so she sends herself to Micah to help him remember his past and his destiny. Their romance is incredibly sweet (particularly the bathing scene!) and it was genius how Singh incorporated the old adage "the way to a man's heart is through his stomach" - it totally made sense that Micah would remember the boy he was by sampling the sweets he used to love :)
All in all, if you're flirting with the idea of reading the 'Royal House of Shadows' series, then I would recommend at least checking out Nalini Singh's contribution. Each of these stories were so different (as to be expected by different authors) that one doesn't necessarily flow smoothly to the next and I think 'Lord of the Abyss' could work as a stand alone.
All of the books in this series are loosely based on well known fairy tales - Alice in Wonderland, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and Little Red Riding Hood. It's not immediately obvious which fairy tale LotA is drawn from, but as the story progresses you can see elements from Beauty and the Beast - only Singh has reworked it and crafted an enchanting story where beauty comes from within and lies in the eye of the beholder and it's ambiguous to whom the beast can refer to. I think it could be argued that both hero and heroine have elements of both.
The overall story arc of RHoS focuses on four royal siblings and their attempts to return to their home kingdom of Elden and reclaim it from the treacherous Blood Sorcerer. This is the story of Micah, the youngest and by far my favorite in the family. A young boy when Elden was overthrown, he was sent to the Black Castle at the edge of the Abyss (essentially hell) and claimed as its new lord. Although Micah is the gate keeper of hell and feared by many, he's retained his guilelessness and nobility - which makes him a very yummy hero! Our heroine is Liliana, the daughter of the Blood Sorcerer. A sorceress herself who despises her father, she's divined that without Micah, the attempt to reclaim Elden by his siblings will fail so she sends herself to Micah to help him remember his past and his destiny. Their romance is incredibly sweet (particularly the bathing scene!) and it was genius how Singh incorporated the old adage "the way to a man's heart is through his stomach" - it totally made sense that Micah would remember the boy he was by sampling the sweets he used to love :)
All in all, if you're flirting with the idea of reading the 'Royal House of Shadows' series, then I would recommend at least checking out Nalini Singh's contribution. Each of these stories were so different (as to be expected by different authors) that one doesn't necessarily flow smoothly to the next and I think 'Lord of the Abyss' could work as a stand alone.
October 28, 2011
I think that this was my favourite in the series. Nalini's writing style is just my cup of tea :) The kinks were ironed out, the seams mended, and one heck of a romance unfolded between the lost prince and the ugly blood sorcerer's daughter.
I liked the setting change in Lord of the Abyss. The Black Castle was mysterious and full of danger. But having Lily choose to be there gave the story a whole new depth. Which brings me to the other thing I liked, the difference in Micah in comparison to his siblings. In the other three books the child of Elden is in need of saving, of someone to make them stronger or set them free - but Micah is this bad-ass Dark Lord with so much power and all he needs is to remember who he is.
I loved the relationship that Lily and Micah form in the book, especially with both of them being so used to rejection and learning to accept the others attention. I thought the play off of Cinderella was subtle in the story, and I had more of the feel that Lily was both Cinderella and the stepsisters and it gave a great dynamic to the story - hated and ugly, with an evil father and an absent mother, never chosen for who she was, and fighting to race the timepiece before it hits midnight - genius!
I'm still reading Desert Warrior (the bonus story paired in with Lord of the Abyss) and will update my review after I'm finished with it but I wanted to review the last of the Royal House of Shadows separately. It was a great read and really rounded out the series for me.
I liked the setting change in Lord of the Abyss. The Black Castle was mysterious and full of danger. But having Lily choose to be there gave the story a whole new depth. Which brings me to the other thing I liked, the difference in Micah in comparison to his siblings. In the other three books the child of Elden is in need of saving, of someone to make them stronger or set them free - but Micah is this bad-ass Dark Lord with so much power and all he needs is to remember who he is.
I loved the relationship that Lily and Micah form in the book, especially with both of them being so used to rejection and learning to accept the others attention. I thought the play off of Cinderella was subtle in the story, and I had more of the feel that Lily was both Cinderella and the stepsisters and it gave a great dynamic to the story - hated and ugly, with an evil father and an absent mother, never chosen for who she was, and fighting to race the timepiece before it hits midnight - genius!
I'm still reading Desert Warrior (the bonus story paired in with Lord of the Abyss) and will update my review after I'm finished with it but I wanted to review the last of the Royal House of Shadows separately. It was a great read and really rounded out the series for me.
January 11, 2014
Audio Update: Top Notch narration by Isabelle Gordon. I have read this book a few times, and now am listening. Her voice is easy on the ears. Her inflections are right, and characters are distinctly portrayed.
I love this unique paranormal by the talented Nalini Singh. I loved the hero. Big old human hound, guarding the gate to Hades. Happy he found his HEA. Liked the heroine, too, and some of the secondary characters down in the Abyss.
It is slightly erotic, with pathos and some good chuckles. Decent suspense and action scenes. I read this one first, before reading the prequels -- each one written by a different author. That forced me to think, but I was able to follow the plot okay. This one was the best, IMO.
I love this unique paranormal by the talented Nalini Singh. I loved the hero. Big old human hound, guarding the gate to Hades. Happy he found his HEA. Liked the heroine, too, and some of the secondary characters down in the Abyss.
It is slightly erotic, with pathos and some good chuckles. Decent suspense and action scenes. I read this one first, before reading the prequels -- each one written by a different author. That forced me to think, but I was able to follow the plot okay. This one was the best, IMO.
May 14, 2013
This yanked me out of my book rut! I was really glad to pick this up!
June 10, 2012
5+++ shining shimmering stars
I just want to turn off my phone, light some candles, and cuddle with this book for a while. A long while.
I love you, Nalini Singh. Other people might profess the same thing, but right at this moment, I love you more than all of those other people combined. All because you gave me Liliana and Micah. There are no faults to this book. Sure, some time in the future I might see some things that could have been better or I'd adore the heroine or the hero less, but I don't think that's going to happen.
Lord of the Abyss is the fourth and final book of the Royal House of Shadows series. I tried reading the series in order, but there’s just something about the first book written by Gena Showalter that made me want to grab the nearest sharp object and start poking my eyes out. And since the reason I started the series was to get to the Nalini Singh book, I decided what the hell and just proceeded to the fourth one. For those who are wondering, yes you can very well skip to the last and still know what the fuck was going on. The books are pretty stand alone since the history is explained in the first chapter of each book.
The last book in the series is about the youngest son of the deceased King and Queen of Elden, a powerful kingdom taken over by an evil sorcerer. The children survived the attack but were scattered in other kingdoms. The youngest, Micah, became the Lord of the Abyss, a sort of guardian who functions as a grim reaper kind of guy for evil souls. He has no idea who his parents are or what his destiny is supposed to be (take their kingdom back with his siblings) and that’s where Liliana comes in. She’s the only child of the Blood Sorcerer, the guy responsible for all the shit that’s happened to Elden. She’s not a huge fan of her dad, being that she’s been bullied and tortured since she was young, so her mission is to jog Micah’s memories and help him get back to Elden in time to meet his siblings and save the kingdom.
Lord of the Abyss is a shout out to Beauty and the Beast only with Beauty not really possessing the necessary physical characteristics to qualify as a beauty. Liliana has her father's face (hook nose, small eyes) and walks in a kind of a limp due to one of her legs being longer than the other. Her only redeeming physical quality is her dark honey skin. These should have been a huge turn off, but Liliana is also strong willed, intelligent, and resourceful. Brave too, even when she's scared shitless, girl has courage in spades. It was at first difficult to imagine this short ugly heroine holding the romantic interest of our deliciously gorgeous hero, but her physical faults failed to matter as the story progresses. In fact, you fall in love with her not despite of but due to – in my case – those faults. They’re what made her stronger and braver, after all. And it’s so refreshing to actually meet a heroine who’s not just plain or with imagined faults (because clumsiness is sooo unattractive) but with real issues – abusive father, absentee mother, being an ugly duckling, having evil sorcerer blood running through your veins. It’s a testament to how strong she is that she’s still confident and sensible and hasn’t melted into a puddle of self pity.
I spent the entire book alternately wanting to marry Liliana and giving her a hug.
And the hero, dude, the hero. Micah is a sexually competent virgin. This sexy slice of hotness hadn’t done the deed, but when he did it, boy pages started to smolder. He’s dreamy and strong and powerful, but he’s also kind and thoughtful and not at all a conceited self-involved dick his looks should have made him. This is not saying he doesn’t have an arrogant bone in his body ‘cause no one gets to be called Lord of the Abyss and be a humble wallpaper. His arrogance is adorable however. The sort of arrogance that’s not mean or spiteful but justified and candid. And his straightforward approach to almost everything is so sexy and sweet at the same time. There’s no pussyfooting or coy double entendre with this one. Micah will tell you straight out what he wants, in bed or out of it, without being crude or disrespectful. That makes him in a class all his own.
The supporting characters are also as fascinating as Liliana and Micah. Bard is the strong silent type and I can listen to Jissa talk all day.
The ending might have been a bit abrupt for some readers especially those who have read the series in order, but I think it would have been a bit of a hassle for a reunion chapter since this is Singh’s book alone. Notice that – while Micah’s siblings made an appearance in the final battle – they didn’t get to have any lines. I think it’s because that would have made at least one chapter a collaborative effort between all the other writers in the series (Singh couldn't possibly shove lines to those that were not her own characters after all) and it was inconvenient either for all the writers to do a sit-down (offline or on) and give Singh the lines needed to make a reunion scene or Singh to share credits for a book that – if a reunion chapter should be included – 95% her own. I’ve no problem with the lack since I skipped the other books and hated – hated – the first one and not looking forward to reading anything Nicolai and Jane have to say.
So, yeah. Best book of the series, and quite possibly best book from Nalini Singh. If you're into strong hot guys (who isn't?) and heroines who are smart, relatable, and kick-ass, you definitely should grab this one. Me, I'm rereading this one soon as I finish cuddling with it.
I just want to turn off my phone, light some candles, and cuddle with this book for a while. A long while.
I love you, Nalini Singh. Other people might profess the same thing, but right at this moment, I love you more than all of those other people combined. All because you gave me Liliana and Micah. There are no faults to this book. Sure, some time in the future I might see some things that could have been better or I'd adore the heroine or the hero less, but I don't think that's going to happen.
Lord of the Abyss is the fourth and final book of the Royal House of Shadows series. I tried reading the series in order, but there’s just something about the first book written by Gena Showalter that made me want to grab the nearest sharp object and start poking my eyes out. And since the reason I started the series was to get to the Nalini Singh book, I decided what the hell and just proceeded to the fourth one. For those who are wondering, yes you can very well skip to the last and still know what the fuck was going on. The books are pretty stand alone since the history is explained in the first chapter of each book.
The last book in the series is about the youngest son of the deceased King and Queen of Elden, a powerful kingdom taken over by an evil sorcerer. The children survived the attack but were scattered in other kingdoms. The youngest, Micah, became the Lord of the Abyss, a sort of guardian who functions as a grim reaper kind of guy for evil souls. He has no idea who his parents are or what his destiny is supposed to be (take their kingdom back with his siblings) and that’s where Liliana comes in. She’s the only child of the Blood Sorcerer, the guy responsible for all the shit that’s happened to Elden. She’s not a huge fan of her dad, being that she’s been bullied and tortured since she was young, so her mission is to jog Micah’s memories and help him get back to Elden in time to meet his siblings and save the kingdom.
Lord of the Abyss is a shout out to Beauty and the Beast only with Beauty not really possessing the necessary physical characteristics to qualify as a beauty. Liliana has her father's face (hook nose, small eyes) and walks in a kind of a limp due to one of her legs being longer than the other. Her only redeeming physical quality is her dark honey skin. These should have been a huge turn off, but Liliana is also strong willed, intelligent, and resourceful. Brave too, even when she's scared shitless, girl has courage in spades. It was at first difficult to imagine this short ugly heroine holding the romantic interest of our deliciously gorgeous hero, but her physical faults failed to matter as the story progresses. In fact, you fall in love with her not despite of but due to – in my case – those faults. They’re what made her stronger and braver, after all. And it’s so refreshing to actually meet a heroine who’s not just plain or with imagined faults (because clumsiness is sooo unattractive) but with real issues – abusive father, absentee mother, being an ugly duckling, having evil sorcerer blood running through your veins. It’s a testament to how strong she is that she’s still confident and sensible and hasn’t melted into a puddle of self pity.
I spent the entire book alternately wanting to marry Liliana and giving her a hug.
And the hero, dude, the hero. Micah is a sexually competent virgin. This sexy slice of hotness hadn’t done the deed, but when he did it, boy pages started to smolder. He’s dreamy and strong and powerful, but he’s also kind and thoughtful and not at all a conceited self-involved dick his looks should have made him. This is not saying he doesn’t have an arrogant bone in his body ‘cause no one gets to be called Lord of the Abyss and be a humble wallpaper. His arrogance is adorable however. The sort of arrogance that’s not mean or spiteful but justified and candid. And his straightforward approach to almost everything is so sexy and sweet at the same time. There’s no pussyfooting or coy double entendre with this one. Micah will tell you straight out what he wants, in bed or out of it, without being crude or disrespectful. That makes him in a class all his own.
The supporting characters are also as fascinating as Liliana and Micah. Bard is the strong silent type and I can listen to Jissa talk all day.
The ending might have been a bit abrupt for some readers especially those who have read the series in order, but I think it would have been a bit of a hassle for a reunion chapter since this is Singh’s book alone. Notice that – while Micah’s siblings made an appearance in the final battle – they didn’t get to have any lines. I think it’s because that would have made at least one chapter a collaborative effort between all the other writers in the series (Singh couldn't possibly shove lines to those that were not her own characters after all) and it was inconvenient either for all the writers to do a sit-down (offline or on) and give Singh the lines needed to make a reunion scene or Singh to share credits for a book that – if a reunion chapter should be included – 95% her own. I’ve no problem with the lack since I skipped the other books and hated – hated – the first one and not looking forward to reading anything Nicolai and Jane have to say.
So, yeah. Best book of the series, and quite possibly best book from Nalini Singh. If you're into strong hot guys (who isn't?) and heroines who are smart, relatable, and kick-ass, you definitely should grab this one. Me, I'm rereading this one soon as I finish cuddling with it.
February 18, 2019
5 Sorcery Stars! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 This was a great read. It had a interesting story that kep me hooked wanting to finish just to find out what happened to the beautiful realm of Elden. Mika and Lilianna were a great pair with sexy chemistry. I loved how she would tell him stories of his childhood just to help him remember and how they would have childish arguments. I found myself laughing at their little bickering. Great story. It left me wanting more so I am off to the next book in this series!! Great work to the author! Love your imagination and the way you can make me feel as if I am there. Loved this book!
November 7, 2011
Sadly, this is the last book of the Royal House of Shadows series. I really enjoyed reading all of the books in the series and found Micah and Liliana's story very interesting. The other siblings were all old enough to remember their past and knew they had to get home to stop the blood sorcerer but Micah was only 5 years old when it happened and only knows the Abyss as his home. He is the Lord of the Black Castle, guardian of the Abyss who is charged with collecting the dark souls that ultimately end up there, and what he says is law or it will be the dungeons for you. He is taken back when Liliana magically appears at his throne without his permission and is immediately thrown in his dungeons until he can figure out what to do with her. Liliana comes up with an idea to serve as his cook in order to stay near him so that she can get him to remember his past and convince him to go back to Elden to defeat her father and help save the Elden with his siblings.
All the other books in the series have had a theme to them and this one appears to be Beauty and the Beast although it is said a lot through the book how unattractive Liliana is with her hooked nose and miss-portioned shape but Micah is spot on. He not only demands things and expects them to be done immediately but due to the blood sorcerers curse, Micah also turns into a beast. He is very bossy and at first doesn't take too well to Liliana dishing it right back at him but after a while he starts to admire that about her since everyone else is afraid of him and his Liliana doesn't fear him at all.
The majority of the book is the building of Micah and Liliana. When it comes to the actual battle with the blood sorcerer, I felt it was over way to quickly. This battle has been building this entire time throughout the series and I would have liked it to be more predominate in the story. It would have been nice if the other siblings would have gotten in on the action and maybe have some difficulty taking down the blood sorcerer who ultimately took down the king and queen and has been ruling Elden for the last 20 years. It just felt a little rushed and even forgotten when you view the story as a whole.
Favorite part...
Micah- "You remind me of a creature in the village. The baker keeps it as a pet, though the kitten is forever spitting and clawing at everyone she meets."
Liliana- "This spitting kitten is your cook. I beg you don't forget that, or I might forget which is the salt and which the chili."
All the other books in the series have had a theme to them and this one appears to be Beauty and the Beast although it is said a lot through the book how unattractive Liliana is with her hooked nose and miss-portioned shape but Micah is spot on. He not only demands things and expects them to be done immediately but due to the blood sorcerers curse, Micah also turns into a beast. He is very bossy and at first doesn't take too well to Liliana dishing it right back at him but after a while he starts to admire that about her since everyone else is afraid of him and his Liliana doesn't fear him at all.
The majority of the book is the building of Micah and Liliana. When it comes to the actual battle with the blood sorcerer, I felt it was over way to quickly. This battle has been building this entire time throughout the series and I would have liked it to be more predominate in the story. It would have been nice if the other siblings would have gotten in on the action and maybe have some difficulty taking down the blood sorcerer who ultimately took down the king and queen and has been ruling Elden for the last 20 years. It just felt a little rushed and even forgotten when you view the story as a whole.
Favorite part...
Micah- "You remind me of a creature in the village. The baker keeps it as a pet, though the kitten is forever spitting and clawing at everyone she meets."
Liliana- "This spitting kitten is your cook. I beg you don't forget that, or I might forget which is the salt and which the chili."
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