First, thank you so much for this free copy of War!
Then... I haven't read Pestilence yet but as I saw we could read those books individually, I jumped on the occasion to discover War and well... I loved it! Of course first I hated War as much as Miriam but... just like her... I started liking him more and more. The story is well written and I never got bored of it as it's quite fast-paced! I loved imagining all those places (before War went through them) and I especially loved the way the main characters were described and how they evolved both mentally and emotionally through the book.
I'll definitely read the 3 other books and I can't wait to discover what happens to those 3 other Horsemen!

Another amazing revisit to my favorite series!

This installment focuses on the second horseman, War. We follow Miriam as she is captured by War after her home is sacked. She is brought into his camp full of captured humans from his conquests. He is under the impression that she is his wife, given to him by God. Thus starts their tumultuous relationship.

The formula for these books are largely the same but it never feels repetitive. Each relationship is distinct and all the FMCs are badass in their own right. The horsemen are also very different personalities.

This book has one of my least favorite tropes in it, which I will not reveal for spoiler reasons, but this story manages to make it not as tedious and exhausting as it usually is.

If you want slow burn, enemies to lovers, set in an apocalyptic modern world with just the right amount of spice, this book series is for you!

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

War
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

War itself found his perfect pair. I love Deimos. I love Miriam's bows and arrow. I like everything, the fighting, the pain and the way War found true happiness, loyalty and humanity because of her. Love can stop war. Like how War surrender everything for Miriam.

I'm in awe. I immersed myself reading the story, to the point that it haunted me on my sleep.The scenes are epic, I start imagining things wildly. Dreaming that I am Miriam loving War.

A phenomenal read!

This is book two in the four horseman series. I don’t want to give to much away. This book has completely different vibes from the first book. While the first felt very post apocalyptic and what I always picture as being post apocalyptic in North America.
This felt more like a war movie as it should but I’m having a hard time comparing the two.

I loved this book. It gave me major Kal Drogo vibes and Ill be honest I am not over that storyline still. I loved War and Miriam. Her personality and dedication was amazing.

The ending of this one I did not see coming and had me absolutely sobbing. It was a really good continuation from the first and I can’t wait for the next book.

Sabendo agora como Laura poderia desenvolver a história dos Cavaleiros do Apocalipse, comecei War de mente aberta para o que viesse.

War acompanha Miriam, uma jovem que vive em Jerusalém e que, tal como muitos, já perdeu tudo para a Chegada.

Quando War chega a Jerusalém e a cidade é atacada pelo seu exército, Miriam tenta enfrentá-lo. Mas quando War vê a cicatriz no pescoço de Miriam, diz que esta é sua esposa e poupa-a.

Ao contrário de Pestilence, aqui temos muitos personagens secundários, o que pareceu estranho, mas deu profundidade à história.

O conflito interno deixa Miriam entre o ódio pelo que War representa e aquilo que começa a sentir por ele. Ao mesmo tempo que esta continua sem perceber porque ele insiste em dizer que ela é a sua esposa.

War tem mais cenas hot que Pestilence 🌶️.

Chorei quando tentaram matar War (de uma forma tão cruel como tentaram com Pestilence) Don't judge me. 🥺

Ao contrário de Pestilence, ele defendeu e protegeu Miriam desde o momento em que a conheceu. 🥺

Gostei do desenvolvimento de War. De como ele acreditava em algo e percebeu que iria perder o que mais queria na vida se não se rendesse. E quando ele começou a tentar redimir-se poupando uma criança aqui, um casal idoso ali.... "For your soft heart." 🥺❤️

A forma como a Laura começa cada livro com seres que não têm qualquer compaixão pelos humanos e os transforma, tem sido um trabalho admirável.

⚠️ Não acho que seja leitura para qualquer pessoa. Estes livros são um processo. Um processo que vale a pena acompanhar. ❤️

• redenção
• transformação
• sacrifício
• amor

New Edition Review:

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

These new editions are GORGEOUS though, for War in particular, I'll take the babe on the cover thank you.

-

Original Review:

I'm a fan of all four of Thalassa's Horseman but I gotta say, War, in particular, can get it. Also, does everyone else picture Khal Drago when reading this book? Or is that just those of us with taste? :D

DNF 3%


I am not okay with freaking Jerusalem being invaded with everything in the real world that has happened there and is still happening.

Enjoyed this second installment of the four hourseman! Not your typical romance book. War is brutal and set in his task. Miriam want him to stop but needs to make choices.
Lots of steam.
Enjoyed the pregnancy trope. It worked well in this setting.

When the first book of a series is so good, it’s really hard for following books to measure up. That’s how I feel with War, following Pestilence.

War wreaks havoc in the middle east, going from civilization to civilization, and you either join him in his destruction or fall by him, leaving nothing behind besides blood and fire. Then it’s the same story formula we were acquainted with in Pestilence - he falls for a woman, and the woman has to prove humanity is worth saving to stop him.

This repeated story actually works for the series, because the horsemen and their women are different in personality and experiences. So it isn’t stale, and it ultimately works toward a larger story with all of the horsemen.

But, while I love the story idea, I actually didn’t enjoy War as much as Pestilence. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but I feel like Pestilence is a more established, thought-out character. He felt more organic and defined, like there was no question that the author knew who he was. War felt like the follow up that his book is, and maybe he wasn’t as inspired or character certain, so I didn’t find myself caring about him as I did about Pestilence.

Regardless, the story is fantastic and does its job spectacularly in continuing to build the story of the Age of Horsemen and the apocalypse their women are desperately working to stop! This continues to be one of my absolute favorite series!

Can I just say...this book went full speed ahead bonkers, and that's not a *bad* thing. I expected bonkers and was told War would be bonkers, and yet I severely underestimated just how bonkers it would be.

While we have the same formula as we did with Pestilence, it doesn't feel repetitive. War, while driven by a divine task as well, is a very different person than Pestilence was. Miriam and Sara were both strong-willed (as you'd have to be), but had different motives. Miriam had nothing, except for her own life and her morals, when she met War. Sara at least knew she had a family to protect. These differences really helped separate the two, though I hope in Famine we get a FMC who is maybe less serious?

I seriously commend some of the choices made in War. Having Jerusalem be the hometown of the FMC was the correct choice, as it is probably history's most fought over city. I also thought giving Miriam a Jewish mom and a Muslim dad really added something. Using the hamsa as a symbol of both religions was really nice.

I don't really have much in way of complaints. One of my least favourite tropes was used in War (no spoilers as to what it is, but those who follow me on Instagram know), but I have to admit it was done as well as possible. It was actually a logical choice plot-wise, and it didn't detract from Miriam as a character.

Additionally, it felt like there were constantly higher stakes, which was awesome.

Overall: 4.25 stars from me.

- Forced proximity
- Strong fmc
- enemies to lovers
- Apocalypse setting

This book follows War, whos one of the horsemen that have come to earth to destroy the world. Our fmc character Miriam is out to save the world, and when she meets War, she is taken as his wife. War thinks she was put in this world for him. Miriam was great. I loved that she used her relationship with War to try to get him to concede on some things. This is a slow burn despite them being together, and it takes quite some time before they are both totally okay with each other. This story was interesting, it has similar themes to the first book in the series, but the characters sets it apart. If you like spicy romance that takes place in a dystopian universe, then you should read this.

5+++++ stars!!!

I devoured this in less than a day. I loved how War changes throughout the book and when he finally “surrendered” … major swoon!!! This book also gave me major “Golden Dynasty” vibes and I would highly recommend it.

Miriam is captured by one of the Four Hoseman of the Apocalypse - Death - and informed that she is his God-given wife. As she comes to see a different side of the man, she must decide whether she can reconcile that with the murderer sweeping across what is left of humanity.

War is another brilliant installment in Laura Thalassa's Horsemen series. It is a dark and brutal romance that had me hooked from the beginning!

Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy for review.

I've read the indie version of this entire series and personally I didn't like this book at first. I still don't. It's not bad, I just found war to be an unlikable character for a lot of the book. Laura Thalassa though did not leave me with a single tear though. Rereading war made me realize that a lot of the books most emotionally charged scenes make me understand more of the depth behind the characters than anything. Still I love this book wasn't my favorite but I still love it.

Thank you Netgalley and Laura Thalassa for the e-book. I have to say that while the stories are a bit predictable, Thalassa has done such a great job of building the horsemen characters. She gives them their humanity is interesting and beautiful moments. That has definitely been my favourite part of this series.
As far as characters go, War was just as great as Pestilence. I loved the way War tried to remind Miriam that humans aren’t the only living creatures on the planet but they are the only ones doing the destruction. Not enough people get that.
I enjoyed Miriam more than I did Sarah in the first book but still for how long she’s had to be independent during the apocalypse she still came across as immature. Overall she was a better lead character than I was expecting.

I really enjoyed this book and think it is a 5/5 star read. I finished this book in two days and didn’t want to out it down. I have read most of Laura Thalassas books and I have immensely enjoyed them all. War is book two in The Four Horseman series. I have now read book one and two in the series and cannot wait for the rerelease of books three and four. This book is rereleased August 15,2023. Thank you to Netgalley, Laura Thalassa and Sourcebooks Bloom Books for an opportunity to read this book.

⤷‧₊˚2 ⭑
“that was my first lession in war: everyone loses, even the victors.”

What the hell happened?
the first one was actually pretty good, but what was that?

So disappointing that the book wasn't good, at one point i just skimmed through it till the end. The characters were 0% interesting that I didn't bother with them at all also the book was basically Pestilence rewritten.

so this one was a big no for me

With War, the second book in Laura Thalassa’s The Four Horsemen series, you will discover Miriam’s story. It’s an easy read, and if you like adventure and romance, you should give this a try.

War takes Miriam as his wife insteading of killing her. As one of the horsemen, War is supposed to end the world... She is torn between horrified and falling for his human side.

An interesting take on the mythology. It is a dark and steamy book- like all of Laura Thalassa's series. It's violent and not gentle. It takes a bit of time to warm up to the main male character seeing that he's WAR. Miriam is terrific. Another winner by a great writer.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.

[Disclaimer: If you want romance, leave immediately. Do not read this novel unless prepared for absolutely messed up, *problematic* love. Do read it if you're like me and couldn't leave a trashy Stockholm Syndrome plot untouched to save your life.]

Exactly the same amount of stars I gave Pestilence, because... it's basically the same book. I'm not exaggerating. Apart from this horseman having a different personality than the first one, and the heroine being slightly less profane, everything else was simply recycled: the premise, the conflict, the philosophical questions, the conversations, the repetitiveness, the finale, the "plot twist". There's only so many times that an author can write the same story, so I do wonder where Thalassa is going with Famine and Death.

Still, I found the narration hilarious. Not always appropriate for the mood of a scene - I really could have used a little less vulgarity - but hilarious. There's just something about the lead in a supernatural romance novel realizing in what a bizarre relationship they find themselves that cracks me up every single time, especially when they're narrating it this feistily, almost like breaking the fourth wall. This is, after all, a weakly disguised, tongue-in-cheek Khal Drogo fanfic with weak plot, so it should be taken with a grain of salt.

Just please, god, let someone introduce this author to a thesaurus for erotic vocabulary, because I could not for the love of me go through the intimacy in this without rolling my eyes to the heavens. And again, this is almost an exact copy of Pestilence! Down to the same two turn-off words used for genitalia. I'm not the biggest erotica reader, but even I know that there should be some variety in this. (Speaking of which, give me one reason why the horny leads in this novel would only ever have missionary sex - again.)

Another big issue I had with War is that Thalassa obviously took pains to present both leads as ethnically diverse, then makes every character in this Middle-Eastern/North-African setting eat nothing but hummus and shakshuka, not making any part of her worldbuilding feel different from the North-American surroundings of the precursor book. To her credit she apparently did a little research on old languages - and then in the afterword admitted she google-translated most of the words she used. I got fed up with this, to be honest, and I know I'm not the only one.

So, why the two stars instead of one? Because 👏 I 👏 was 👏 entertained 👏. Otherwise I wouldn't have written such an extensive review. And raced through War the way I did through Pestilence, in a day. I feel that, if I'm going to heavily criticize a novel like this, I should do it in detail and while giving good reasons, but in the end, I have no one but myself to blame for starting and finishing it. Or maybe I just want to call my own moral standards to memory. Be that as it may - this is my new guilty pleasure.