Worthy of Fate Book Review
I didn’t ask to be born into this life, to become who I was. Fate was a cruel force beyond my comprehension. Inescapable and ruthless, caring for nothing but its own will. I didn’t fear death. I pressed against it, waiting to be pushed into the endless void of the After. I walked the shadowed line, always teetering on the edge of life.
No, I didn’t fear death. It had always followed me. What I did fear was life. However short it may be…
Synopsis
The Gem
Marked by the Gods, Kya is forced to partake in a Trial for a chance to be deemed Worthy. If she succeeds, she’ll be gifted great powers. If she fails, she could lose her life or worse. But that’s only the start of her worries. Now, the same plague that took her home is spreading and threatening the fate of the realm. Can Kya survive the Trial of the Gods and gain the needed power to rid the world of the growing threat before it’s too late? Or will she be drawn to what awaits her in the shadows?
The Shadow
Ryker has waited a long time for her — his mate. Now he’s found her. He plans to claim what is rightfully his, but dark forces threaten to destroy his Nation should he embrace the bond he so desperately desires. Unable to escape the drive to be near her, he waits for his precious gem, lingering in her shadow.
Review
Listen, I am obsessed. Book 1 of the Realms in Peril series, Worthy of Fate by A.N. Caudle is seriously addictive! Fated mates? Check. Slow-burn forbidden love? Check. Morally grey characters, touch her and die, and just enough spiciness? Check, check, check! Readers can look forward to a world of Gods, life-or-death trials, elemental magic, and found family, and I’m telling you — once you’re in, there’s no turning back.
Kya, our badass vigilante Roav, is the kind of protagonist you can’t help but root for. She’s fierce, she’s flawed, and she’s got the whole stabby thing down to an art form. And then there’s Ryker — dear Jesus, Ryker, our stalker shadow daddy — the brooding Lord who’s all dark and mysterious and totally swoon-worthy. Their chemistry? The tension? Off the charts. The waiting? It’ll make you feral.
The pacing is spot-on, and I loved the (longer) length of the book and dual 1st person points of view — both of which allowed for some great world-building and character development. Truly, the writing is so well done that you get all the details you need without being overwhelmed with information overload. Sure, I wish we had been provided with a bit more clarity or background on one of the antagonists, and certain tropes/sentiments felt slightly overdone towards the end, but that’s just nitpicking at this point. The world-building is extensive and immersive, yet easy to understand, and the main characters are well matched, in both strength and their feelings for each other. From the Trial of the Gods to the dark forces encroaching on the world, every aspect of this story felt so vivid and real that I never wanted it to end! Thank goodness we have book 2, Bound by Fate, to look forward to… even if we do have to (impatiently) wait until December for it to come out.
That ending? Talk. About. A. Cliffhanger. I’m dying to know what happens next. Whose point of view is it in the epilogue? When/how are we going to see Ryker fulfill his task? And can we expect some more fated mates?! I need answers like, yesterday.
Worthy of Fate is an absolute gem of a read. If you’re into fantasy romances with a bit of the Hunger Games sprinkled in, this is the book for you. Honestly, after the ACOTAR and The Empyrean (Fourth Wing) series, I’d say this is my next favorite romantasy. What a fantastic debut for the author!
Content warnings include death, graphic violence, torture, sexually explicit scenes, physical abuse, mentions of drug abuse, profanity, and mentions of rape, which may be unsettling for some readers.
Expected publication date is 11 April 2024.
Author Profile
Hey there! I’m A.N. Caudle. I am a debut author of a fantasy romance series. I never thought I would write a book, and this journey has been incredible!
I am a wife and mother of two kids. I work full-time during the day and spending my night typing away fantastical stories that pop into my head.
I spend time with my family when I’m not writing or working.
TL;DR
- Rating: 4.5 stars | Genre: Fantasy Romance | Pages: 586
- Book 1 of Realms in Peril series
- Tropes: fated mates, slow-burn forbidden love, touch her & die, morally grey characters, elemental magic, & found family
- Loved the (longer) length of the book & dual 1st person POV
- Spot-on pacing & cliffhanger ending; dying to know what happens next!
- Favorite fantasy romance after ACOTAR and The Empyrean (Fourth Wing) series
- CWs: death, graphic violence, torture, sexually explicit scenes, & profanity
