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Mages of the Wheel #2
Storm & Shield
“All you see is that I run. Why haven’t you realized I always come back?”
She is lightning and storm. A spy, driven out of her home by a tyrant ruler. He is granite and earth. A guard, ordered to keep her contained.
To protect herself and her family, she’s learned to go unnoticed, unseen. Suddenly a refugee in a land that once was enemy and now must be home, she isn’t certain where she belongs, or what her duty is beyond her family. She can’t protect them alone this time, but the only man who can help her is the only one she cannot ask.
He’s sworn his loyalty to the Sultana since she lifted him out of the gutter that made him. The arrival of a foreign spy loyal to the new prince makes him question himself and his orders, and his mistakes threaten the life of the ruler he swore to serve.
War will force choices of them both. She—to remain a spy, or stand and lend her powerful, untamed magic to the Sultana of Tamar. He—to remain a loyal, unquestioning guard, or learn to trust his instincts, and his heart.
They are magic in opposition, earth and sky, steady and mutable. One immovable as stone, the other fast as the wind. Balance, sometimes, is chaos.
He needed the storm and wildness of her, he needed the way she broke him apart.
She is lightning and storm. A spy, driven out of her home by a tyrant ruler. He is granite and earth. A guard, ordered to keep her contained.
To protect herself and her family, she’s learned to go unnoticed, unseen. Suddenly a refugee in a land that once was enemy and now must be home, she isn’t certain where she belongs, or what her duty is beyond her family. She can’t protect them alone this time, but the only man who can help her is the only one she cannot ask.
He’s sworn his loyalty to the Sultana since she lifted him out of the gutter that made him. The arrival of a foreign spy loyal to the new prince makes him question himself and his orders, and his mistakes threaten the life of the ruler he swore to serve.
War will force choices of them both. She—to remain a spy, or stand and lend her powerful, untamed magic to the Sultana of Tamar. He—to remain a loyal, unquestioning guard, or learn to trust his instincts, and his heart.
They are magic in opposition, earth and sky, steady and mutable. One immovable as stone, the other fast as the wind. Balance, sometimes, is chaos.
He needed the storm and wildness of her, he needed the way she broke him apart.
400 pages, ebook
First published February 20, 2020
About the author
J.D. Evans
5 books493 followersJ. D. Evans writes fantasy and science fiction romance. After earning her degree in linguistics, J. D. served a decade as an army officer. She once spent her hours putting together briefings for helicopter pilots and generals. Now she writes stories, tends to two unreasonable tiny humans, knits, sews badly, gardens, and cultivates Pinterest Fails. After a stint in Beirut, J. D. fell in love with the Levant, which inspired the setting for her debut series, Mages of the Wheel.
Originally hailing from Montana, J. D. now resides in North Carolina with her husband, two attempts at mini-clones gone rogue, and too many stories in her head.
Originally hailing from Montana, J. D. now resides in North Carolina with her husband, two attempts at mini-clones gone rogue, and too many stories in her head.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 232 reviews
March 17, 2022
Storm and Shield is a fantasy romance with a fair amount of action sprinkled in. Unfortunately, the romance fails the book.
Aysel is fine, well written, complex and largely likable. (her core motivations and fears aren't as strong as Makram's were in Reign and Ruin, and she doesn't have a particular character flaw to overcome/character arc.) but the narrative vastly underserves Bashir. Bashir is given an appealing archetype: calm, steady, slow to temper, and yet powerful, and he spends maybe five percent of the book displaying this personality. He spends most of the book enraged at or terrified for, or feeling betrayed by Aysel. He is also constantly walked over by her (physically bested in numerous conflicts, and verbally) and her brother (and Makram in one instance, albeit understandably) and he rarely succeeds in accomplishing anything in the course of the narrative. (Except half-dying once in sacrifice.) The verbal battery he undergoes wouldn't be unappealing except it bothers and flusters him; for a character that supposed to be steady, he is constantly reacting in an uncontrolled fashion to things that happen around him, and visibly emoting (a contradiction to his steady personality, and part of the romantic fantasy attached to him where he is very gentle and warm and caring in private—I.E the intimacy of his character being reserved for Aysel.)
And it's not necessarily a bad thing that Aysel's physically stronger than him, she should be because she's a charah, but he provides nothing in the relationship and she brings out the worst in him. And she doesn't even provide him something the readers can tangibly grasp, were just told he finds her immensely attractive, and she him. Compare this to Naime and Makram: Makram is physical stronger as the Charah, Naime is politically far more capable (while still being a powerful mage.) Naime wants/needs a husband that won't fight her for power/won't grate at being subordinate to her (Makram actively doesn't want the role of leader.) Makram wants/needs someone worth following and serving, as well as someone that can love him despite the stigma of a destruction mage (and not to mention destruction Chara.) Aysel and Bashir provide each other with nothing; she doesn't need or benefit from the stability of his personality, and he's doesn't need or benefit from the wildness of hers (very much conceivable if this is a 'opposites romance'.) There is not a single area where they compliment each other in a way the reader can grasp.
Positives for the book is that the prose is strong, and Bashir's earth magic comes across magnificently: feeling heavy and powerful, like you're dealing with a mountain.
It did feel like it ended abruptly because there was no grander narrative transpiring, nothing like the conflict for Naime to be crowned Sultana or for Makram to liberate himself of his brother. This results in the book ending without anything significant having occurred (besides Aysel assuming her positions as Chara, but there wasn't anywhere near as much opposition, and zero doubt, to that as there was with Makram.)
Aysel is fine, well written, complex and largely likable. (her core motivations and fears aren't as strong as Makram's were in Reign and Ruin, and she doesn't have a particular character flaw to overcome/character arc.) but the narrative vastly underserves Bashir. Bashir is given an appealing archetype: calm, steady, slow to temper, and yet powerful, and he spends maybe five percent of the book displaying this personality. He spends most of the book enraged at or terrified for, or feeling betrayed by Aysel. He is also constantly walked over by her (physically bested in numerous conflicts, and verbally) and her brother (and Makram in one instance, albeit understandably) and he rarely succeeds in accomplishing anything in the course of the narrative. (Except half-dying once in sacrifice.) The verbal battery he undergoes wouldn't be unappealing except it bothers and flusters him; for a character that supposed to be steady, he is constantly reacting in an uncontrolled fashion to things that happen around him, and visibly emoting (a contradiction to his steady personality, and part of the romantic fantasy attached to him where he is very gentle and warm and caring in private—I.E the intimacy of his character being reserved for Aysel.)
And it's not necessarily a bad thing that Aysel's physically stronger than him, she should be because she's a charah, but he provides nothing in the relationship and she brings out the worst in him. And she doesn't even provide him something the readers can tangibly grasp, were just told he finds her immensely attractive, and she him. Compare this to Naime and Makram: Makram is physical stronger as the Charah, Naime is politically far more capable (while still being a powerful mage.) Naime wants/needs a husband that won't fight her for power/won't grate at being subordinate to her (Makram actively doesn't want the role of leader.) Makram wants/needs someone worth following and serving, as well as someone that can love him despite the stigma of a destruction mage (and not to mention destruction Chara.) Aysel and Bashir provide each other with nothing; she doesn't need or benefit from the stability of his personality, and he's doesn't need or benefit from the wildness of hers (very much conceivable if this is a 'opposites romance'.) There is not a single area where they compliment each other in a way the reader can grasp.
Positives for the book is that the prose is strong, and Bashir's earth magic comes across magnificently: feeling heavy and powerful, like you're dealing with a mountain.
It did feel like it ended abruptly because there was no grander narrative transpiring, nothing like the conflict for Naime to be crowned Sultana or for Makram to liberate himself of his brother. This results in the book ending without anything significant having occurred (besides Aysel assuming her positions as Chara, but there wasn't anywhere near as much opposition, and zero doubt, to that as there was with Makram.)
June 29, 2020
In harmony and opposition
Blank is forged to blade
Struggle the impression
Within which we are made
Hammer on anvil
Steel into fire
Conflict which does not kill
Shapes soul into spire.
- Poem of the Wheel 2nd
5 stormy stars!
for a remarkable sequel.
J.D. Evans raised the bar very high with her debut Reign & Ruin and I admit I was wondering if this second in series will be up to the same mark. Well, it is. But in a different way.
It is by far less complex in intrigue and setting than it's predecessor and yet, a lot more action-packed, fast paced and just as compelling. Because of the feeling!
At core, Storm & Shield is a love story. A wild, passionate and impossible love story in between two mages in opposition. Earth and sky, steady and mutable. One immovable as stone, the other fast as the wind.
She was wild storms and fast lightning. He was steady earth and slow change.
But balance, sometimes, is chaos.
image from: https://twitter.com/jdevansbooks
Aysel is spy, driven out of her home by a tyrant ruler. An air mage with a well-kept secret. Back in Sarkum, she and her brother had been the right and left hand of Makram, while their father had one of the most influential seats in the council. Now, after reaching Tamar, they are nothing but refugees, mistrusted and resented for both their origin and power. Or so it may seem.
Aysel had fled Sarkum with her family to escape the clutches of Makram's brother, who was ruthlessly killing all of Makram's supporters. But even after reaching Tamar, Aysel knows they are still not safe. Assassins lurk in the shadows and she must deal with them before they get to reach her parents or her brother. Because that had been Aysel's role for as long as she could remember. She was their invisible protector as well as the prince's trusted spy.
image from: https://twitter.com/jdevansbooks
Protecting her family and doing her duty to her prince proves to be a challenge on a completely different level in Tamar. Here Makram is still seen as an outsider, despite his place at the Sultana's side and Aysel is not only hampered by her refugee status, but also by the fact that she is a woman, doing a man's job. The stakes are also higher and Aysel is in danger of failing without help.
The problem is however that, the only man who can help her is the only one she cannot ask.
Bashir Ayan - Commander of the Sultana's guard. He’s sworn his loyalty to the Sultana since she lifted him out of the gutter that made him. Steady and solid, just like the earth he commands. Always good and respectful, Bashir is the one who always stands for everyone who needs it. Strong as an ox and as sweet as it gets. Bashir is every woman's dream come true!! Even Aysel's.
The problem is however, that they serve two different masters and their orders seem to set them at odds. Aysel's arrival makes Bashir question himself and his orders, and his mistakes threaten the life of the ruler he swore to serve.
image from: https://twitter.com/jdevansbooks
And this is how their story begins. With a cat and mouse chase through the streets of Tamar, on a hunt for both assassins and information alike.
In Bashir's eyes, Aysel is a criminal and a spy.
She moved with the grace of a dancer and arrogant surety of a cat. It was... disturbingly pleasant to observe. She was a puzzle and Bashir hated puzzles. And... it was not normal to want to kiss a woman he also wanted to strangle.
Aysel on the other hand considered it not fair how maddeningly attractive the man was. Never mind how she cared about him, the dumb ox, or how she craved more glimpses of his sweetness, had started to want them for her own. Wheel damn her, she'd let herself get attached to him, to the way it felt to be around him. She knew better.
She was wild storms and fast lightning. He was steady earth and slow change. And this here is their love story. One that will make you sigh and tear up, smile and laugh out loud and at the same time, keep you at the edge of your seat biting your nails till the very end.
Written in the same old-style lyrical and flawless prose as its predecessor, Storm & Shield compensates for the lesser complexity of setting and court intrigue with a whirlwind of complex feelings. What it lacks on the one side, it makes up on the other, something I find exceptionally fitting, since none of the spokes of the Wheel are alike. While book one was a precarious dance of balance on the edge of ruin, fitting for a death mage and Charah of the Sixth's House: this sequel is a bundle of chaos and a storm of emotion, the perfect representation for a little stormy Air Charah of the First House.
And I loved every single second of it!
I thought the love story between the Sultana and Makram was one of the best I've ever read. The passion and the love!! The stolen moments and forbidden touches that show so much of feeling!!! Those were downright exceptional. And I was convinced it couldn't get better than that.
As it turns out, it did! Because this love story is perhaps even better.
I said it in my first review and will say it again here. This author has a talent in making you feel as well as see the tale unfold! And this series has just jumped into my top ten all time favorites.
Fascinating magic, wonderfully written fully fleshed characters, including supporting ones, a lot of fast paced action and a love to set your heart on fire! This book has it all.
And watch out for Bashir ladies! He's going to wreck your heart!!
'Any woman who sees you and doesn't want to climb you like a tree is a damned liar.' That's what Aysel tells him and I wholeheartedly agree! :D
I read this book on KU but will buy the paperback too as soon as it will be available because it already has a special place reserved on my shelf of favorites.
If you love romantic fantasy, YOU HAVE GOT TO READ THIS SERIES! It is downright brilliant.
Find this review and more on my book review and cover art blog The Magic Book Corner
Blank is forged to blade
Struggle the impression
Within which we are made
Hammer on anvil
Steel into fire
Conflict which does not kill
Shapes soul into spire.
- Poem of the Wheel 2nd
5 stormy stars!
for a remarkable sequel.
J.D. Evans raised the bar very high with her debut Reign & Ruin and I admit I was wondering if this second in series will be up to the same mark. Well, it is. But in a different way.
It is by far less complex in intrigue and setting than it's predecessor and yet, a lot more action-packed, fast paced and just as compelling. Because of the feeling!
At core, Storm & Shield is a love story. A wild, passionate and impossible love story in between two mages in opposition. Earth and sky, steady and mutable. One immovable as stone, the other fast as the wind.
She was wild storms and fast lightning. He was steady earth and slow change.
But balance, sometimes, is chaos.
image from: https://twitter.com/jdevansbooks
Aysel is spy, driven out of her home by a tyrant ruler. An air mage with a well-kept secret. Back in Sarkum, she and her brother had been the right and left hand of Makram, while their father had one of the most influential seats in the council. Now, after reaching Tamar, they are nothing but refugees, mistrusted and resented for both their origin and power. Or so it may seem.
Aysel had fled Sarkum with her family to escape the clutches of Makram's brother, who was ruthlessly killing all of Makram's supporters. But even after reaching Tamar, Aysel knows they are still not safe. Assassins lurk in the shadows and she must deal with them before they get to reach her parents or her brother. Because that had been Aysel's role for as long as she could remember. She was their invisible protector as well as the prince's trusted spy.
image from: https://twitter.com/jdevansbooks
Protecting her family and doing her duty to her prince proves to be a challenge on a completely different level in Tamar. Here Makram is still seen as an outsider, despite his place at the Sultana's side and Aysel is not only hampered by her refugee status, but also by the fact that she is a woman, doing a man's job. The stakes are also higher and Aysel is in danger of failing without help.
The problem is however that, the only man who can help her is the only one she cannot ask.
Bashir Ayan - Commander of the Sultana's guard. He’s sworn his loyalty to the Sultana since she lifted him out of the gutter that made him. Steady and solid, just like the earth he commands. Always good and respectful, Bashir is the one who always stands for everyone who needs it. Strong as an ox and as sweet as it gets. Bashir is every woman's dream come true!! Even Aysel's.
The problem is however, that they serve two different masters and their orders seem to set them at odds. Aysel's arrival makes Bashir question himself and his orders, and his mistakes threaten the life of the ruler he swore to serve.
image from: https://twitter.com/jdevansbooks
And this is how their story begins. With a cat and mouse chase through the streets of Tamar, on a hunt for both assassins and information alike.
In Bashir's eyes, Aysel is a criminal and a spy.
She moved with the grace of a dancer and arrogant surety of a cat. It was... disturbingly pleasant to observe. She was a puzzle and Bashir hated puzzles. And... it was not normal to want to kiss a woman he also wanted to strangle.
Aysel on the other hand considered it not fair how maddeningly attractive the man was. Never mind how she cared about him, the dumb ox, or how she craved more glimpses of his sweetness, had started to want them for her own. Wheel damn her, she'd let herself get attached to him, to the way it felt to be around him. She knew better.
She was wild storms and fast lightning. He was steady earth and slow change. And this here is their love story. One that will make you sigh and tear up, smile and laugh out loud and at the same time, keep you at the edge of your seat biting your nails till the very end.
Written in the same old-style lyrical and flawless prose as its predecessor, Storm & Shield compensates for the lesser complexity of setting and court intrigue with a whirlwind of complex feelings. What it lacks on the one side, it makes up on the other, something I find exceptionally fitting, since none of the spokes of the Wheel are alike. While book one was a precarious dance of balance on the edge of ruin, fitting for a death mage and Charah of the Sixth's House: this sequel is a bundle of chaos and a storm of emotion, the perfect representation for a little stormy Air Charah of the First House.
And I loved every single second of it!
I thought the love story between the Sultana and Makram was one of the best I've ever read. The passion and the love!! The stolen moments and forbidden touches that show so much of feeling!!! Those were downright exceptional. And I was convinced it couldn't get better than that.
As it turns out, it did! Because this love story is perhaps even better.
I said it in my first review and will say it again here. This author has a talent in making you feel as well as see the tale unfold! And this series has just jumped into my top ten all time favorites.
Fascinating magic, wonderfully written fully fleshed characters, including supporting ones, a lot of fast paced action and a love to set your heart on fire! This book has it all.
And watch out for Bashir ladies! He's going to wreck your heart!!
'Any woman who sees you and doesn't want to climb you like a tree is a damned liar.' That's what Aysel tells him and I wholeheartedly agree! :D
I read this book on KU but will buy the paperback too as soon as it will be available because it already has a special place reserved on my shelf of favorites.
If you love romantic fantasy, YOU HAVE GOT TO READ THIS SERIES! It is downright brilliant.
Find this review and more on my book review and cover art blog The Magic Book Corner
September 26, 2024
4.5 stars
going from the first incredible book in a series to the second is always a gamble. I am thrilled to say that Storm & Shield is just as great as the first Mages of the Wheels book, Reign & Ruin, if not more!
this one had less political intrigue but was much more action-packed, faster-paced, and had more romantic aspects with entertaining banter between the main couple. Aysel and Bashir are opposites in many ways—size, temperament, and even their magic (air and earth are oppositions on the Wheels)—which makes them a very fun pair to read about.
the teasing, flirting, fighting, and chemistry between them were some of my favorite parts of the book. even though they butted heads on almost everything, their relationship was actually very sweet and tender🥹💕
romance aside, the writing was just as beautiful, the magic system just as intriguing and the world-building just as excellent, as the first one. one thing that I love about this series is that there is an overarching plot that stretches between the books but each installment also has its own storyline. I also really enjoy that each book features a different main character but still involves previous characters as well. can't wait to spend my weekend immersed in book 3!🤩
going from the first incredible book in a series to the second is always a gamble. I am thrilled to say that Storm & Shield is just as great as the first Mages of the Wheels book, Reign & Ruin, if not more!
this one had less political intrigue but was much more action-packed, faster-paced, and had more romantic aspects with entertaining banter between the main couple. Aysel and Bashir are opposites in many ways—size, temperament, and even their magic (air and earth are oppositions on the Wheels)—which makes them a very fun pair to read about.
the teasing, flirting, fighting, and chemistry between them were some of my favorite parts of the book. even though they butted heads on almost everything, their relationship was actually very sweet and tender🥹💕
romance aside, the writing was just as beautiful, the magic system just as intriguing and the world-building just as excellent, as the first one. one thing that I love about this series is that there is an overarching plot that stretches between the books but each installment also has its own storyline. I also really enjoy that each book features a different main character but still involves previous characters as well. can't wait to spend my weekend immersed in book 3!🤩
June 20, 2023
*** 3.75 ***
June 12, 2022
I’m binge-reading an incomplete series. I don’t know why I do this to myself. I know I’ll suffer heartbreak and large doses of impatience after I gobble these 4 books up, but these books are easy and fun escapism under the romantic fantasy category.
September 13, 2024
This felt a little harder to get into than book 1, but once it picked up, it was great. I loved the way the story continues from book 1, but with new characters in the spotlight. I loved Aysel and Bashir (although I could have done without being reminded how massive he was and how teeny tiny she was about 800 times). The magic system and world are just so cool. Excited for the rest!
January 1, 2023
4.5⭐️ I’m really enjoying this series. As much as I liked Naime and Makram, I loved Aysel and Bashir even more! Their banter and tension was *chefs kiss*. And this one was tad spicier than the 1st installment. I usually roll my eyes at instant attraction and lust, but this was done soooo well. And it worked for the story! This is a series of interconnected stand-alones with different couples as MCs, but an overall plot so books must be read in order. I look forward to reading the 3rd book.
May 4, 2023
Actual rating: 2.75. I rounded up to 3, because I admire the author's writing and I know it's hard to make it as a self-pubbed author. My dissatisfaction has wholly to do with her main characters in this installment.
Ehhh... very early on I could already tell I wasn't going to like this book as much as I did the first (even though I really wanted to). I prefer my romances to have power balanced on both sides, and from the outset it was apparent that one person is holding all the cards and the other doesn't even know they're in a gamehouse.
Aysel is one of those fiesty, tiny, sassy, tiny, fierce, and... did I say tiny? Anyway, Aysel is one of those pocket-sized fire-spitting no-man-had-ever-met-a-woman-like-her heroines who wears plot armour so thick it's so hard to root for her because you know that the powers-that-be have already determined she will win at everything. She's supposed to be a wallflower, a shadow, someone whom others won't notice, and yet that's not shown at all by the story. Instead, she attracts so much attention by being unable to keep a smart retort to herself and threatening any man who so much as breathes wrong in her direction.
For this reason, my sympathies went immediately to Bashir, especially knowing his rags-to-commander backstory; unfortunately, the poor man is a brick.
"Criminals were criminals in Bashir's mind, whether they were the lowliest of pickpockets or the most sophisticated of court spies."
And
"She was a puzzle, and Bashir hated puzzles. He'd rather cut something in half or smash it to pieces than fiddle with bits to make a whole."
The guy has no sense of nuance nor critical-thinking abilities. Characters were spelling out his enormous lapse in judgment in treating Aysel as a criminal, and it was only past the halfway mark when he finally accepted that he'd been wrong to treat her as such. No. Critical-thinking. Abilities. This was incredibly frustrating because I was much more sympathetic to his plight than I was with Aysel's. Bashir was juggling bigger and bigger expectations in increasingly narrow spaces, much like Naime was in the first book. Except Naime was brilliant and wily, and could come up with ways to navigate herself into a better position. Bashir had no such advantage, and ended up humiliating himself over and over again.
What really attracted me to Naime and Makram from Reign and Ruin was that they were both clever in different ways, and because they had mutual admiration for each other, the romance that bloomed out of that was very believable. In contrast, I had absolutely no clue what serves as the foundation for Bashir and Aysel's romance other than mere physical attraction. Which doesn't really cut it for me. Aysel thinks Bashir is an insufferable idiot who holds her back (which he is and he does). Meanwhile, Bashir is constantly losing his temper and dignity, played like a fool by Aysel. I wholly disagree with Erol who says that Aysel is perfect for Bashir because he needs someone who makes his life fun. No, what the man needs is sleep, anger management and meditation; someone please hook him up with a Buddhist monk.
I suppose my biggest frustration is the humongous chasm between how these characters are described and how the story actually shows them. Aysel was supposed to be a little wee slip of a thing who escapes notice, and Bashir was supposed to be a steady, dependable force worthy of respect. Instead, we get a firecracker who must absolutely push people's buttons because that's apparently how you stay out of the limelight, and a military commander who apparently got the top scores in University but has no head for planning and strategy.
Ehhh... very early on I could already tell I wasn't going to like this book as much as I did the first (even though I really wanted to). I prefer my romances to have power balanced on both sides, and from the outset it was apparent that one person is holding all the cards and the other doesn't even know they're in a gamehouse.
Aysel is one of those fiesty, tiny, sassy, tiny, fierce, and... did I say tiny? Anyway, Aysel is one of those pocket-sized fire-spitting no-man-had-ever-met-a-woman-like-her heroines who wears plot armour so thick it's so hard to root for her because you know that the powers-that-be have already determined she will win at everything. She's supposed to be a wallflower, a shadow, someone whom others won't notice, and yet that's not shown at all by the story. Instead, she attracts so much attention by being unable to keep a smart retort to herself and threatening any man who so much as breathes wrong in her direction.
For this reason, my sympathies went immediately to Bashir, especially knowing his rags-to-commander backstory; unfortunately, the poor man is a brick.
"Criminals were criminals in Bashir's mind, whether they were the lowliest of pickpockets or the most sophisticated of court spies."
And
"She was a puzzle, and Bashir hated puzzles. He'd rather cut something in half or smash it to pieces than fiddle with bits to make a whole."
The guy has no sense of nuance nor critical-thinking abilities. Characters were spelling out his enormous lapse in judgment in treating Aysel as a criminal, and it was only past the halfway mark when he finally accepted that he'd been wrong to treat her as such. No. Critical-thinking. Abilities. This was incredibly frustrating because I was much more sympathetic to his plight than I was with Aysel's. Bashir was juggling bigger and bigger expectations in increasingly narrow spaces, much like Naime was in the first book. Except Naime was brilliant and wily, and could come up with ways to navigate herself into a better position. Bashir had no such advantage, and ended up humiliating himself over and over again.
What really attracted me to Naime and Makram from Reign and Ruin was that they were both clever in different ways, and because they had mutual admiration for each other, the romance that bloomed out of that was very believable. In contrast, I had absolutely no clue what serves as the foundation for Bashir and Aysel's romance other than mere physical attraction. Which doesn't really cut it for me. Aysel thinks Bashir is an insufferable idiot who holds her back (which he is and he does). Meanwhile, Bashir is constantly losing his temper and dignity, played like a fool by Aysel. I wholly disagree with Erol who says that Aysel is perfect for Bashir because he needs someone who makes his life fun. No, what the man needs is sleep, anger management and meditation; someone please hook him up with a Buddhist monk.
I suppose my biggest frustration is the humongous chasm between how these characters are described and how the story actually shows them. Aysel was supposed to be a little wee slip of a thing who escapes notice, and Bashir was supposed to be a steady, dependable force worthy of respect. Instead, we get a firecracker who must absolutely push people's buttons because that's apparently how you stay out of the limelight, and a military commander who apparently got the top scores in University but has no head for planning and strategy.
October 22, 2022
*4.5
The prose is still good, the romance is still great, but the second book takes a hit on the plot. The political stuff is much weaker in Storm and Shield (maybe because Aysel and Bashir aren’t in the thick of it like Naime and Makram were) and the main thrust is just Aysel running off and getting hurt and coming back and then going back out again. It wasn’t as compelling but that’s fine because a weak plot isn’t going to distract me from the fact that Baysel are so fun. Aysel was giving Bashir a run for his money since the moment they met and he’s so strung out and distraught over her, it’s so adorable. When I say Bashir was down horrendous I mean DOWN, like the man was pressed, stressed, obsessed, depressed…you love to see it. Bashir is so tightly controlled and sweet and grumbly and just a little pathetic, Aysel is so girlboss and precocious but not in an annoying way. If you like the teasing, batman-and-catwoman cat-and-mouse, “You want to f*ck me so bad it makes you look stupid” thing then this installment is definitely for you. I wouldn’t call this a forbidden love situation because there’s literally nothing stopping them from being together, they’re both just being stubborn and silly, but they do eventually learn to talk about their issues and there are enough apologies going around, which is very sweet to see. They’re equal matches in the relationship but clearly Bashir would lay down in a puddle so Aysel could walk across him without getting her boots wet, as God intended.
I also want to point out that they didn’t have angry sex one time, and honestly J.D. Evans is so real for that. They fought and bickered and got angry but they always squashed it beforehand so they could take care of each other’s feelings through sex (having the belated realization that physical touch is their love language) and that is something that can be so personal to me. Damn right, I support it!
Sidenote: I am DYING for Tareck’s story, like he’s too good of a background character to be doing nothing with!!! I also want Samira’s redemptive love story where she finally kicks Cemil to the curb (maybe for Tareck or Erol???) and learns that love doesn’t hurt. Tick tock, J.D.!!!
The prose is still good, the romance is still great, but the second book takes a hit on the plot. The political stuff is much weaker in Storm and Shield (maybe because Aysel and Bashir aren’t in the thick of it like Naime and Makram were) and the main thrust is just Aysel running off and getting hurt and coming back and then going back out again. It wasn’t as compelling but that’s fine because a weak plot isn’t going to distract me from the fact that Baysel are so fun. Aysel was giving Bashir a run for his money since the moment they met and he’s so strung out and distraught over her, it’s so adorable. When I say Bashir was down horrendous I mean DOWN, like the man was pressed, stressed, obsessed, depressed…you love to see it. Bashir is so tightly controlled and sweet and grumbly and just a little pathetic, Aysel is so girlboss and precocious but not in an annoying way. If you like the teasing, batman-and-catwoman cat-and-mouse, “You want to f*ck me so bad it makes you look stupid” thing then this installment is definitely for you. I wouldn’t call this a forbidden love situation because there’s literally nothing stopping them from being together, they’re both just being stubborn and silly, but they do eventually learn to talk about their issues and there are enough apologies going around, which is very sweet to see. They’re equal matches in the relationship but clearly Bashir would lay down in a puddle so Aysel could walk across him without getting her boots wet, as God intended.
I also want to point out that they didn’t have angry sex one time, and honestly J.D. Evans is so real for that. They fought and bickered and got angry but they always squashed it beforehand so they could take care of each other’s feelings through sex (having the belated realization that physical touch is their love language) and that is something that can be so personal to me. Damn right, I support it!
Sidenote: I am DYING for Tareck’s story, like he’s too good of a background character to be doing nothing with!!! I also want Samira’s redemptive love story where she finally kicks Cemil to the curb (maybe for Tareck or Erol???) and learns that love doesn’t hurt. Tick tock, J.D.!!!
August 25, 2024
This was very much a "opposites attract" kind of love story - and that's what made it so much fun, as it lead to some very entertaining banter as well as fight sequences between Bashir & Aysel. Those scenes made me chuckle a lot.
But I can't deny that it was missing a bit of that extra spark from book 1 for me. Maybe it was because I read one book after the other and kept thinking about Naime & Makram's story. However, Storm & Shield did differ in other ways as well: we mostly stayed in one place throughout the book, and the political intrigue took more of a back seat here - that added tension in Reign & Ruin is an important aspect that made it (imo) a more well-rounded book.
Still, I loved getting to know knew characters, seeing "old" ones appear, learning more about the magic system and what made some wielders unique, but also how they (potentially) complimented one another. The author did a great job of making this book feel familiar (thanks to the world building established in book 1) while at the same time creating a story that was different enough to be its own. I'm certainly excited to see what book 3 will bring!
But I can't deny that it was missing a bit of that extra spark from book 1 for me. Maybe it was because I read one book after the other and kept thinking about Naime & Makram's story. However, Storm & Shield did differ in other ways as well: we mostly stayed in one place throughout the book, and the political intrigue took more of a back seat here - that added tension in Reign & Ruin is an important aspect that made it (imo) a more well-rounded book.
Still, I loved getting to know knew characters, seeing "old" ones appear, learning more about the magic system and what made some wielders unique, but also how they (potentially) complimented one another. The author did a great job of making this book feel familiar (thanks to the world building established in book 1) while at the same time creating a story that was different enough to be its own. I'm certainly excited to see what book 3 will bring!
February 25, 2020
4.5 stars!! Amazing sequel. I loved that this was about different characters. Dont get me wrong, Naime and Makram are my faves, but the reason why i read fantasy romances is, naturally, because i love romance the most. And i find that it’s hard for me to keep my interest once the characters get in a couple, so it was a nice surprise when i found out this book was from Bashir and Aysel’s perspective. I loved them, especially Bashir. A man who looks very intimidating physically but is an actual cinnamon roll inside?? YES please. He wrecked me. An angel. The only reason why im not giving this 5 stars like the previous book is because the plot surrounding the romance wasnt as interesting, the stakes werent as high and therefor i was mostly interested in Bashir and Aysel’s relationship development than anything else. Nevertheless, reading and understanding more about the different mages and charas was so intriguing, I cant wait to continue with this series. Ps; this one is on kindle unlimited too!!
August 23, 2022
I finished reading this 2 days ago and have been letting it percolate, hoping the fog of my residual cold would clear enough for me to write a worthy review.
Alas, the fog has (somewhat) dissipated, and I'm still at a loss for words.
Storm and Shield was everything I loved about Reign and Ruin, but MORE. The pacing was quicker. The romance was romancier. The humor made me laugh out loud multiple times. I found perhaps my favorite side character of all time in Aysel's big brother, Mathei. Good lord. May we all have one of him in our lives.
I just...I can never do this book justice. I guess all I can say is that J.D. Evans is in my top 5 favorite writers of all time, and I think 99% of the traditionally published world would sell their souls to be able to write half as well as her.
Yeah, I said it.
Read her books. They will make you better readers, better writers, and better human beings for doing so.
Alas, the fog has (somewhat) dissipated, and I'm still at a loss for words.
Storm and Shield was everything I loved about Reign and Ruin, but MORE. The pacing was quicker. The romance was romancier. The humor made me laugh out loud multiple times. I found perhaps my favorite side character of all time in Aysel's big brother, Mathei. Good lord. May we all have one of him in our lives.
I just...I can never do this book justice. I guess all I can say is that J.D. Evans is in my top 5 favorite writers of all time, and I think 99% of the traditionally published world would sell their souls to be able to write half as well as her.
Yeah, I said it.
Read her books. They will make you better readers, better writers, and better human beings for doing so.
November 23, 2022
3.5 ⭐ This fell generally flat for me.
The star of the book is definitely the magic system. It is one of the most fun magic systems I've read about, and in this second book we learn more about the Wheel and other mages.
This is also a really well-written book.
But then...
The action was meh: engaging, but not exciting.
The characters' interactions were meh: entertaining at times, but lacking in chemistry at times too.
The romance was meh: it had some angst, but it was underdeveloped. It had some push and pull, but I was not at the edge of my seat. I liked the fmc and mmc individually, but they didn't have a lot of interaction together to build a good rapport at the beginning for me to feel invested in the relationship.
The storyline/plot was meh: at times it was nonexistent to serve the romance, which would have been fine had the romance been actually properly developed.
It was ok. It was ok enough for me to continue to be curious about the series and get the third book.
The star of the book is definitely the magic system. It is one of the most fun magic systems I've read about, and in this second book we learn more about the Wheel and other mages.
This is also a really well-written book.
But then...
The action was meh: engaging, but not exciting.
The characters' interactions were meh: entertaining at times, but lacking in chemistry at times too.
The romance was meh: it had some angst, but it was underdeveloped. It had some push and pull, but I was not at the edge of my seat. I liked the fmc and mmc individually, but they didn't have a lot of interaction together to build a good rapport at the beginning for me to feel invested in the relationship.
The storyline/plot was meh: at times it was nonexistent to serve the romance, which would have been fine had the romance been actually properly developed.
It was ok. It was ok enough for me to continue to be curious about the series and get the third book.
Read
September 26, 2024Ahhhh idk what to rate this. I know I’ve been yelling about book 1 (Reign and Ruin) obsessively and the people want to know how the rest of this series stacks up.
The TLDR is that this one is not as good, but it’s still better than other romantasies I’ve read. I had low expectations for this second installment since I’d heard it wasn’t quite as flameballs, but I also had high expectations for the author in general since the writing and world were strong (on top of the romance) in book 1.
What I liked:
- Evans showed she’s capable of writing varied character voices/ perspectives. The personalities of Aysel and Bashir (the romantic leads here) are very distinct from Naime and Makram
- I.g. Aysel is playful flirtatious and forward. Whereas Naime was cool composed and constantly calculating.
- I still liked the romance even if not nearly as much. Evans (so far) writes love in a very endearing, earnest, & sweet way. It’s not just groundless hate, snippy banter, and daggers to the throat (although there is some of that too).
- Bashir was an occasional rizz master
- Exploring the magic system further was fun. It’s simple but well thought out. I want to be an air mage so badly.
- Mathei (Aysel’s brother) was perfect comedic relief
- I love a spy character. I will always love a spy character. Aysel is a spy. :) I couldn’t decide if she was competent or a chaos demon though and that’s ok.
- The way Evans writes and stages moments of intimacy (I’m not even talking abt chili pepper necessarily get your mind out of the gutter) feels like I’m in bed with these couples lmao and like I should give them privacy
What I didn’t like
- While the focus characters here do make up a part of the grand puzzle of this story, for most of this book, they’re on the fridge of the overall series plot arc. I just knew Naime and Makrum were probably going through it but we didn’t really get to see much of that conflict and/or progression.
- The plot of this book also just felt weaker in general. There wasn’t even some big side quest these two went on… we just dealt with a bunch of random issues and tangential drama. I missed the court politics lowkey although there was more “action” scenes here.
- The incessant mentions of how small Aysel is. Trust me I understand she’s absolutely minuscule. Truly a microscopic specimen of a woman.
- The rational for why Aysel and Bashir couldn’t be together felt a bit paper thin. Bashir being a stubborn idiot contributing to most of it. All he had to do was trust her and we would have been riding into the sunset on page 50.
- Some occasional cheeseball romantic lines. I’ll accept it though… it could have been worse.
Anyway I’m still 100% continuing with this series. I’ve heard the prologue and book 4 are both back to 5 star territory and while this wasn’t quite there it wasn’t trash by any means.
The TLDR is that this one is not as good, but it’s still better than other romantasies I’ve read. I had low expectations for this second installment since I’d heard it wasn’t quite as flameballs, but I also had high expectations for the author in general since the writing and world were strong (on top of the romance) in book 1.
What I liked:
- Evans showed she’s capable of writing varied character voices/ perspectives. The personalities of Aysel and Bashir (the romantic leads here) are very distinct from Naime and Makram
- I.g. Aysel is playful flirtatious and forward. Whereas Naime was cool composed and constantly calculating.
- I still liked the romance even if not nearly as much. Evans (so far) writes love in a very endearing, earnest, & sweet way. It’s not just groundless hate, snippy banter, and daggers to the throat (although there is some of that too).
- Bashir was an occasional rizz master
- Exploring the magic system further was fun. It’s simple but well thought out. I want to be an air mage so badly.
- Mathei (Aysel’s brother) was perfect comedic relief
- I love a spy character. I will always love a spy character. Aysel is a spy. :) I couldn’t decide if she was competent or a chaos demon though and that’s ok.
- The way Evans writes and stages moments of intimacy (I’m not even talking abt chili pepper necessarily get your mind out of the gutter) feels like I’m in bed with these couples lmao and like I should give them privacy
What I didn’t like
- While the focus characters here do make up a part of the grand puzzle of this story, for most of this book, they’re on the fridge of the overall series plot arc. I just knew Naime and Makrum were probably going through it but we didn’t really get to see much of that conflict and/or progression.
- The plot of this book also just felt weaker in general. There wasn’t even some big side quest these two went on… we just dealt with a bunch of random issues and tangential drama. I missed the court politics lowkey although there was more “action” scenes here.
- The incessant mentions of how small Aysel is. Trust me I understand she’s absolutely minuscule. Truly a microscopic specimen of a woman.
- The rational for why Aysel and Bashir couldn’t be together felt a bit paper thin. Bashir being a stubborn idiot contributing to most of it. All he had to do was trust her and we would have been riding into the sunset on page 50.
- Some occasional cheeseball romantic lines. I’ll accept it though… it could have been worse.
Anyway I’m still 100% continuing with this series. I’ve heard the prologue and book 4 are both back to 5 star territory and while this wasn’t quite there it wasn’t trash by any means.
February 9, 2023
I dont really know what to say.
I shouldn't really like this series based on my normal taste but I think this series really does change that perception for me
Book 1 of this series came third in my personal spfbo7 read, and I have been eagerly anticipating getting to this one and continuing the series.
As expected it delivered. The story isn't huge in terms of millions of threads and things happening but it absoutley excels in having fleshed out characters, who you buy into and care about. As someone who reads for the characters, this is what makes me enjoy the books so much
What I should also add, is that Evans is incredible at writing dialogue between characters. In fact, one of the best, I've read.
Every conversation between the characters is meaningful and full with real emotions and believability
I have started book 3 ....
I shouldn't really like this series based on my normal taste but I think this series really does change that perception for me
Book 1 of this series came third in my personal spfbo7 read, and I have been eagerly anticipating getting to this one and continuing the series.
As expected it delivered. The story isn't huge in terms of millions of threads and things happening but it absoutley excels in having fleshed out characters, who you buy into and care about. As someone who reads for the characters, this is what makes me enjoy the books so much
What I should also add, is that Evans is incredible at writing dialogue between characters. In fact, one of the best, I've read.
Every conversation between the characters is meaningful and full with real emotions and believability
I have started book 3 ....
Read
February 22, 2020Storm & Shield is the second book in the Mages of the Wheel series. Check out Reign & Ruin to get started on the series!
The paperback is live! (2/22/2020) Sorry for the wait 💖
🌩 I'll be doing a takeover of the Moontree Readers group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/MoonT...) on February 27th. I'll have some fun games (including a quiz to find out what House you are!) And some giveaways for ebooks and signed paperbacks of book one and two.
The paperback is live! (2/22/2020) Sorry for the wait 💖
🌩 I'll be doing a takeover of the Moontree Readers group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/MoonT...) on February 27th. I'll have some fun games (including a quiz to find out what House you are!) And some giveaways for ebooks and signed paperbacks of book one and two.
September 18, 2023
I like this kind of strong & independent characters. I still would have loved to have more interaction with secondary characters. Big part of the book was about romance and I missed all political shenanigans that happened in the first book.
I loved the setting but most of all I adore how there is a bigger plot that still continues.
I loved the setting but most of all I adore how there is a bigger plot that still continues.
September 11, 2023
lynnae don't read this!
it's just ok. there was little to no political intrigue because of the characters and so as a result, the plot was slower and less interesting. i felt like Aysel was just running around all the time being misunderstood. it felt repetitive and boring.
it's just ok. there was little to no political intrigue because of the characters and so as a result, the plot was slower and less interesting. i felt like Aysel was just running around all the time being misunderstood. it felt repetitive and boring.
July 20, 2022
Storm & Shield is an utterly great read. By virtue of being a second book, it is not bogged down by world-building. The world has been set and other characters are brought into prominence. This time, it is Bashir and Aysel. Bashir is the Commander of the Sultana’s guard and entirely indebted and devoted to her after she raised him into prominence despite his background. Aysel is the Prince Consort’s friend and spy with a secret, fleeing her home to a kingdom that was once considered an enemy.
The protagonists not having the fate of kingdoms on their shoulders allows the book to be more playful with the characters and the story. Bashir and Aysel are opposites in many ways but the attraction is immediate. I loved their banter and the interactions they had with each other filled with flirtation and innuendo. It just brought a lot of fun and lightheartedness to the story.
In this second book, Storm & Shield felt a lot more like a romcom in a fantasy setting, bringing the fantasy romance aspect in full force. The serious court fantasy gives way to a him-vs-her plot as they try to fulfill their duties to their monarchs which may not always align with each other’s. And it gets more complicated when they give in to their lust for each other. There is also a lot more focus on the magic and one-on-one combats, fleshing out the magic system and allowing the author to show off her skills in writing fight scenes in addition to her usual steamy ones.
Storm & Shield is a fantastic follow-up to Reign & Ruin, delivering a fun fantasy romance with just the right amount of magic and action.
The protagonists not having the fate of kingdoms on their shoulders allows the book to be more playful with the characters and the story. Bashir and Aysel are opposites in many ways but the attraction is immediate. I loved their banter and the interactions they had with each other filled with flirtation and innuendo. It just brought a lot of fun and lightheartedness to the story.
In this second book, Storm & Shield felt a lot more like a romcom in a fantasy setting, bringing the fantasy romance aspect in full force. The serious court fantasy gives way to a him-vs-her plot as they try to fulfill their duties to their monarchs which may not always align with each other’s. And it gets more complicated when they give in to their lust for each other. There is also a lot more focus on the magic and one-on-one combats, fleshing out the magic system and allowing the author to show off her skills in writing fight scenes in addition to her usual steamy ones.
Storm & Shield is a fantastic follow-up to Reign & Ruin, delivering a fun fantasy romance with just the right amount of magic and action.
June 6, 2020
Didn't like this book as much as the first one unfortunately. The solid writing wasn't enough to make up for my general dislike of the characters - particularly the female lead and her brother. Also the ceaseless secrets and betrays gave me empathetic anxiety.
That being said, I did like that the author didn't decide to make all her couples bffs like so many authors with series focusing an a new couple per book often do. I can appreciate the realism that while a person can be so loved by one person can easily be hated or at least unliked by a member of another pairing.
That being said, I did like that the author didn't decide to make all her couples bffs like so many authors with series focusing an a new couple per book often do. I can appreciate the realism that while a person can be so loved by one person can easily be hated or at least unliked by a member of another pairing.
July 1, 2023
Brilliant fun!
We move from two royals in Naime and Makram, to each one's respective commander and spy- Bashir and Aysel, who were secondary characters in the first book and now come to the fore. Both are given conflicting commands from their masters and in the course of carrying out their orders, come to heads with one another.
Evans absolutely smashes her purpose in providing a juicy romance; Aysel and Bashir's relationship build-up was incredibly enjoyable from start to finish. It would be 10/10 if it was based solely on that, brilliant characters, great interactions, off the charts chemistry, seriously hot sex scenes, immensely clever magic manifestations plus her storytelling feels effortless. As with Reign & Ruin, I loved how their magic played off of one another's and the intelligent portrayal of their personalities through it (Bashir's steady, loyal and unyielding earth grounding Aysel's wild, playful and feisty storm). And the realistic conversations and arguments they had about each of their flaws and making a relationship work between them. I absolutely love that the male characters Evans writes (not just the romantic leads) back the females they care about 100% without having to be dominant or patronising. I did the whole binging until early hours and didn't function as a normal human being for the whole of the book.
As much as I loved all of that though, I did feel that there's vast room for improvement. There were a glaring number of plot holes; I particularly would've liked a whole lot more of Aysel being a badass spy, but it barely featured and when it did, she didn't seem as competent as we were constantly being told. A lot of things happened too fast and fell into place too easily, such as the various positions granted her, her self-revelation that she was being selfish and her decision to be inducted as a Charah (which also felt a bit convenient and samey). Again, I would've liked more of the epic story running in the background; as with the first book, I wish it was double the size, with equal epic story and equal romance. (I'm not asking for too much am I?! Haha). I do also feel the tight political tension and intrigue in Reign and Ruin made the romance that much sweeter, so I did miss that a little.
With all that being said, I would 100% recommend, I'm seriously enjoying this series and Evans is doing great; just give me more!
We move from two royals in Naime and Makram, to each one's respective commander and spy- Bashir and Aysel, who were secondary characters in the first book and now come to the fore. Both are given conflicting commands from their masters and in the course of carrying out their orders, come to heads with one another.
Evans absolutely smashes her purpose in providing a juicy romance; Aysel and Bashir's relationship build-up was incredibly enjoyable from start to finish. It would be 10/10 if it was based solely on that, brilliant characters, great interactions, off the charts chemistry, seriously hot sex scenes, immensely clever magic manifestations plus her storytelling feels effortless. As with Reign & Ruin, I loved how their magic played off of one another's and the intelligent portrayal of their personalities through it (Bashir's steady, loyal and unyielding earth grounding Aysel's wild, playful and feisty storm). And the realistic conversations and arguments they had about each of their flaws and making a relationship work between them. I absolutely love that the male characters Evans writes (not just the romantic leads) back the females they care about 100% without having to be dominant or patronising. I did the whole binging until early hours and didn't function as a normal human being for the whole of the book.
As much as I loved all of that though, I did feel that there's vast room for improvement. There were a glaring number of plot holes; I particularly would've liked a whole lot more of Aysel being a badass spy, but it barely featured and when it did, she didn't seem as competent as we were constantly being told. A lot of things happened too fast and fell into place too easily, such as the various positions granted her, her self-revelation that she was being selfish and her decision to be inducted as a Charah (which also felt a bit convenient and samey). Again, I would've liked more of the epic story running in the background; as with the first book, I wish it was double the size, with equal epic story and equal romance. (I'm not asking for too much am I?! Haha). I do also feel the tight political tension and intrigue in Reign and Ruin made the romance that much sweeter, so I did miss that a little.
With all that being said, I would 100% recommend, I'm seriously enjoying this series and Evans is doing great; just give me more!
September 3, 2024
I must say that this book couldn’t keep up with the first :/ I found Aysel’s character extremely irritating and frustrating the first half of the book and I grew very bored very quickly of reading about her running away and sneaking around. I loved the set up of the world and problems in the first book and I think that the 2nd book should have been tied into the main story way more. Some things also seemed illogical to me, like why sleep in the camp when the person you’re supposed to spy on is mostly roaming the palace?? The whole spy mission was pushed so much but in the end played only a tiny role. Also, you couldn’t tell me that Bashir - who everyone says is the most loyal to Naime - wouldn’t tell her immediately everything he found out bc of someone he just met 😩 it felt completely out of character. This book was also a bit too predictable, it failed to surprise me like the first, but I still liked Aysel’s and Bashir’s dynamic and how they grew closer. I also wished we could have seen Aysel more involved with the Sultana, like them training together or something, I feel like there was so much wasted potential 🙃 Mathei was the best thing about this book and I really hope there will be a story on him 😩 still, I have to say that by the end I loved Bashir and Aysel very dearly, they’re so cute together, Bashir I liked from the beginning but Aysel needed to grow on me haha
Spoilers ahead
Wasn’t it also so weird that Aysel never saw kadir until the end even though she was literally meant to spy on him?? 🙃 I’m also curious about Cemil, there’s definitely more to him and I think he’s not really the villain and mean person he pretends to be 👀 everyone’s saying they love the 3rd book the most so I’ll still get into it, in hopes that it gives me the same feelings the first one did 🤝
Spoilers ahead
Wasn’t it also so weird that Aysel never saw kadir until the end even though she was literally meant to spy on him?? 🙃 I’m also curious about Cemil, there’s definitely more to him and I think he’s not really the villain and mean person he pretends to be 👀 everyone’s saying they love the 3rd book the most so I’ll still get into it, in hopes that it gives me the same feelings the first one did 🤝
April 16, 2024
”I am small, and female, and plain. I’ve been proving myself to people all my life.”
The gist of this book.
This is for those who like scrappy/plain/small FMCs paired with brick house MMCs.
The action is still good. Decent spice and it definitely moved the plot forward (we’re building that wheel). But something just didn’t hit quite as hard as the first one for me.
The gist of this book.
This is for those who like scrappy/plain/small FMCs paired with brick house MMCs.
The action is still good. Decent spice and it definitely moved the plot forward (we’re building that wheel). But something just didn’t hit quite as hard as the first one for me.
June 4, 2021
I am loving this series! Wish I could binge the whole thing. I need Matthei’s story.
October 2, 2020
If you're looking for an adult fantasy romance with political intrigue, cat-and-mouse romance, elemental magic and a plot that deals with realistic humanitarian problems like war and refugee crises, then I would recommend you check out this book.
Since the first book laid the groundwork for the magic system and political background, you jump right into where the last book left off without any info-dumping! This book follows the Prince's Spy (Aysel) and the Princess's Captain of the Guard (Bashir). With conflicting instructions from their leaders, they end up playing a cat-and-mouse game where Aysel constantly evades Bashir's capture (to her merriment and his exasperation).
One thing I've been impressed with is J.D. Evans' ability to write detailed intimate scenes that are really well-done. I feel like I've rarely come across an adult fantasy that does love scenes well with healthy partners! And the interplay of magic in those scenes is fun to read.
I took off marks because at times the plot dragged. I think it might have been due to the elaborate descriptions of everything? I wanted to read more about the character interactions vs reading about the setting.
Note: While each book focuses on a different couple, you need to read the books in order to understand the overarching plot and character dynamics! (I am so excited for Ihsan's book...)
Since the first book laid the groundwork for the magic system and political background, you jump right into where the last book left off without any info-dumping! This book follows the Prince's Spy (Aysel) and the Princess's Captain of the Guard (Bashir). With conflicting instructions from their leaders, they end up playing a cat-and-mouse game where Aysel constantly evades Bashir's capture (to her merriment and his exasperation).
One thing I've been impressed with is J.D. Evans' ability to write detailed intimate scenes that are really well-done. I feel like I've rarely come across an adult fantasy that does love scenes well with healthy partners! And the interplay of magic in those scenes is fun to read.
I took off marks because at times the plot dragged. I think it might have been due to the elaborate descriptions of everything? I wanted to read more about the character interactions vs reading about the setting.
Note: While each book focuses on a different couple, you need to read the books in order to understand the overarching plot and character dynamics! (I am so excited for Ihsan's book...)
August 8, 2023
3 stars. I ended up slightly disappointed at the sequel.
The start was exciting and I overall enjoyed the back and forth from Bashir and Aysel in the beginning, but then the romance happened very suddenly without much build up and overtook the plot for the rest of the book. In fact, the politics and the war was very much put on the back burner, something that I was greatly excited for from book one. So much so that one plot line surrounding the Vizier was completely abandoned?
Who was supposed to be one of the big villains of this saga?
The dynamics between Bashir and Aysel turned quite boring quite quickly, I didn’t feel they had much development or chemistry in comparison to Naime and Makram from the first book, they felt slightly shallower, less flawed, and more inconsistent in their characterisation.
Also did you know that Aysel was a very small teeny gal? I never would have guessed it it wasn’t mentioned every page.
However, the prose was still good and I definitely enjoyed the first 30-40%. Unfortunately I ended up skim reading the last 20%, because nothing of importance really happened. Sad because I loved the first book SO much
The start was exciting and I overall enjoyed the back and forth from Bashir and Aysel in the beginning, but then the romance happened very suddenly without much build up and overtook the plot for the rest of the book. In fact, the politics and the war was very much put on the back burner, something that I was greatly excited for from book one. So much so that one plot line surrounding the Vizier was completely abandoned?
Who was supposed to be one of the big villains of this saga?
The dynamics between Bashir and Aysel turned quite boring quite quickly, I didn’t feel they had much development or chemistry in comparison to Naime and Makram from the first book, they felt slightly shallower, less flawed, and more inconsistent in their characterisation.
Also did you know that Aysel was a very small teeny gal? I never would have guessed it it wasn’t mentioned every page.
However, the prose was still good and I definitely enjoyed the first 30-40%. Unfortunately I ended up skim reading the last 20%, because nothing of importance really happened. Sad because I loved the first book SO much
September 6, 2022
Sadly, after the wonderful surprise that was the first book in the series, Storm & Shield turned out to be disappointing. The characters weren’t as nearly as interesting and complex as Naime and Makram and their relationship was not as convincing either. Though I understand physical attraction, their journey of falling in love felt a little bland and one-dimensional to me. At the end, I did not see how they got to the point where they did not want to live without each other. Moreover, the plot itself was boring and I could not get into it.
Overall, though I can’t say I hated this book, it did not meet my expectations and I have a lot to complain about. Nevertheless, I will continue with the series to see whether Storm & Shield was an exception, because this series has a lot of potential.
Overall, though I can’t say I hated this book, it did not meet my expectations and I have a lot to complain about. Nevertheless, I will continue with the series to see whether Storm & Shield was an exception, because this series has a lot of potential.
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October 23, 2022Annnddd this is where this series lost me. I mean, okay, that's not entirely true, I did read the first few chapters of book three, but each book in the series just got farther away from the characters I loved - immersing me in the lives of characters I couldn't care less about.
I wish this had continued to follow Mackram and Nime, they're amazing, intriguing, and so very sweet. Their push and pull had depth and emotion - and the vastness of what they're up against is so overwhelming. I really wanted these books to round out their tale, and you do get glimpses, but not enough to keep me riveted.
😮💨
I'm sad. I really adored book one. I wanted this series to be in my favorites list, but things just didn't work out that way. 😔
I wish this had continued to follow Mackram and Nime, they're amazing, intriguing, and so very sweet. Their push and pull had depth and emotion - and the vastness of what they're up against is so overwhelming. I really wanted these books to round out their tale, and you do get glimpses, but not enough to keep me riveted.
😮💨
I'm sad. I really adored book one. I wanted this series to be in my favorites list, but things just didn't work out that way. 😔
January 23, 2023
This was a perfect Sunday read, I had been in such a reading slump and decided to pull out the big guns and continue the Mages of the Wheel series and it did not disappoint. Book 2 Storm and Shield was incredible. An easy 5/5 for me. I think @ has some of the most beautiful writing I have ever encountered.
I cannot say this enough the magic and world in this series is top notch. I can only read so many Gaelic fae fantasy books till I'm bored. Nothing boring here. If you liked Dorne in Game of Thrones read this. If you want magic but not witches and demons read this. The middle eastern influences and so lush and hypnotizing. I love the immense detail the author includes.
The love story in this book was top notch. Its enemies to lovers, stoic and brooding giant man and whimsical sassy small spy of a woman. There was more spice than Reign & Ruin but nothing gratuitous. Despite being extremely detailed (which is really just this authors style) nothing felt dirty. Also, no hate sex which I enjoyed. I would give this like 2/5 for spice.
The tension! There is some miscommunication and distrust happening but it was so good. It happened early which made it more of a character development than a twist at the end.
The banter. These two are so cute. Bashir has this slightly annoyed feel to him, and Aysel is incredibly witty and taunting. I was immediately highlighting little moments between these two.
Overall I cannot rave about these books enough. I am already planning on purchasing physical copies and I am foaming at the mouth for the series to continue. Every page has the luscious romantic feel to it while also being so empowering towards the female main characters. The carryover of Naime and Makram felt cozy and I loved seeing a different side of them as well and every other side character (Mathei in particular!! He needs his own book)!
I cannot say this enough the magic and world in this series is top notch. I can only read so many Gaelic fae fantasy books till I'm bored. Nothing boring here. If you liked Dorne in Game of Thrones read this. If you want magic but not witches and demons read this. The middle eastern influences and so lush and hypnotizing. I love the immense detail the author includes.
The love story in this book was top notch. Its enemies to lovers, stoic and brooding giant man and whimsical sassy small spy of a woman. There was more spice than Reign & Ruin but nothing gratuitous. Despite being extremely detailed (which is really just this authors style) nothing felt dirty. Also, no hate sex which I enjoyed. I would give this like 2/5 for spice.
The tension! There is some miscommunication and distrust happening but it was so good. It happened early which made it more of a character development than a twist at the end.
The banter. These two are so cute. Bashir has this slightly annoyed feel to him, and Aysel is incredibly witty and taunting. I was immediately highlighting little moments between these two.
Overall I cannot rave about these books enough. I am already planning on purchasing physical copies and I am foaming at the mouth for the series to continue. Every page has the luscious romantic feel to it while also being so empowering towards the female main characters. The carryover of Naime and Makram felt cozy and I loved seeing a different side of them as well and every other side character (Mathei in particular!! He needs his own book)!
August 31, 2023
5⭐️ Exquisite. I didn’t think book one could be rivalled but this has done it!
The FMC/MMC dynamic is completely different to book one, and I still loved every second of it. The banter, the electricity between them (pun intended), the slow burn sizzle… it was everything I wanted and more.
Aysel is a gifted spy from a family loyal to Makram (the MMC from book one), and they have fled Sarkum as refugees to join him in Tamar after the events of book one. Bashir is captain of the guard, and deeply loyal to the Sultana (the FMC from book one), and he takes an immediate (👀 and passionate 👀) dislike to Aysel, branding her a criminal. There is a lot of cat and mouse style fun to be had here—and I’ll leave it at that! As well as the central romance, the larger story of the mages of the wheel, standing the circle and the related political manoeuvring continues—I’m loving how this is building with each instalment.
The writing in this series continues to be excellent—the prose is incredibly smooth and lyrical. I read this via audiobook and I love how the narrators bring this world to life.
This is hands down one of my all time favourite fantasy romance series. I feel like I’m saying this a lot lately, but I have NO NOTES 🙌
“She was wild storms and fast lightning. He was steady earth and slow change.”
The FMC/MMC dynamic is completely different to book one, and I still loved every second of it. The banter, the electricity between them (pun intended), the slow burn sizzle… it was everything I wanted and more.
Aysel is a gifted spy from a family loyal to Makram (the MMC from book one), and they have fled Sarkum as refugees to join him in Tamar after the events of book one. Bashir is captain of the guard, and deeply loyal to the Sultana (the FMC from book one), and he takes an immediate (👀 and passionate 👀) dislike to Aysel, branding her a criminal. There is a lot of cat and mouse style fun to be had here—and I’ll leave it at that! As well as the central romance, the larger story of the mages of the wheel, standing the circle and the related political manoeuvring continues—I’m loving how this is building with each instalment.
The writing in this series continues to be excellent—the prose is incredibly smooth and lyrical. I read this via audiobook and I love how the narrators bring this world to life.
This is hands down one of my all time favourite fantasy romance series. I feel like I’m saying this a lot lately, but I have NO NOTES 🙌
“She was wild storms and fast lightning. He was steady earth and slow change.”
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