This was fantastic, I had no idea what to expect but I was blown away by the story telling, the world building, the emotions the characters experience and the trials they go through on their journey.

I Started this Audiobook not too long ago, I was kind of intimidated by the audio length (18hrs), but now that I am done with the book I wish it were longer!!

The Story follows our FMC Karys Eska, she is a Deathspeaker, a power that is both a gift and a curse, that comes with a high cost. She does the dirty work for those in power where she lives, sent on dangerous missions that may lead to the beginning of the end.

With a couple near death experiences and magical artifacts, Karys is able to escape danger with the help of our MMC Ferain, after some close calls, they are thrust together in ways neither expected, and it is up to them to not only save their own lives but maybe all of the lives in their Realm.

There is Action, Adventure, Found Friendship, hard decisions, and a love story that took me by surprise, but is what I secretly wanted the whole time. There are also a lot of great scenes working through some pretty important topics around found family and learning that you are worthy of being loved, no one has to go through life alone when you have friends by your side.

Basically it’s Magic, Mythology and Mayhem. You’ll love it! I kinda need more people to read this so I can talk to someone about it because THAT ENDING was a cruel cliffhanger but definitely ensured that I will be back for the next book! 5 ⭐️’s

Thank you to the Author Kerstin Hall for writing this incredible book and also to the Narrator Alyssa Appleton who did a phenomenal job differentiating Characters.

Big Thank you as well to RBmedia and NetGalley for my no cost audiobook copy of “Asunder”.

I received an advance reading copy at no personal cost and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Asunder is an immersive, dark, queer-norm, secondary world fantasy that is, undoubtedly, Hall's strongest work to date. Hall thrusts you into the world with little information about how things work. There is no handholding or info dumping; instead, Hall subtly builds the world and provides all the required information via conversations, interactions, observations, etc.

We follow the main character, Karys Eska, while she navigates her life as a deathspeaker —someone who sold their soul to a terrifying eldritch god in order to gain the power of speaking to the dead. One of her jobs takes her to a cavern where she meets an injured man. In order to hopefully save his life, she places him into stasis and binds his soul to her body. The majority of Asunder is Karys’ journey to heal then separate herself from this stranger. Along the way we learn more about the old and new gods, workings (kinda like magic), the political landscape, and Karys’s past.

This book has something for everyone: body sharing, horrifying eldritch beings, familial trauma, political machinations, rich world building, slow burn romance, and much more.

I am BEGGING for the sequel to be picked up. The world needs more of this story!

Audiobook Note: The narrator changes randomly for about a third of the book. I'm not certain if this was intentional, but it was definitely very jarring and pulled me out of an otherwise stellar story. The main narrator, who started & finished the book, was very enjoyable.

This was a very complicated book to listen to. It was really hard to follow and understand the story. It kind of went all over the place. I actually did not finish the book because I was so confused about what was happening.

I picked up this dark fantasy on a whim, and quickly became enthralled by the lush, intricately arcane world as well as fully invested in the plucky, doomed heroine. Because, oh yes, she is doomed. After years of starvation and abuse, Karys pledged herself to an eldritch deity in return for powers that could pay her way to stability – only to have her careful plan to escape her “benefactor” upended when she stumbles across and is tied to Ferain, the last survivor of a murderous plot. Karys and Ferain then travel across an ancient, broken empire, collecting a ragtag group of companions as they attempt to figure out why Ferain was targeted and what they need to do to help him.

The central plot was fun – being dragged across the empire exposes the reader to an interesting variety of settings both wondrous and horrible. This is a world in which humans are pawns in a war between eldritch and angelic beings, and I found the tension between the followers of these “gods” to be as compelling as the central quest. I also liked the commentary on class and privilege and how it contributes to the cycle of magic use.

In other words, come for the arcane atmosphere, stay for the found friendship and the detailed horrorscape of a world controlled by eldritch beings. There’s a bit too free-swinging a door at the end, waiting for the sequel to continue the storyline a bit too seamlessly, but overall, this book was a great find! My thanks to RB Media, the author, and the narrator for providing this e-arc for review.

Asunder is a story about a death speaker, how she gets bound to a dying man, and their journey across their world to try and break the bond before they’re doomed for good. They face unimaginable horrors and make unexpected allies along the way. In a world where you must look out for yourself above all, Karys and Ferain have to learn to trust each other if they have any hope of making it out alive.

I enjoyed this book so much! Karys is a strong main character and I enjoyed watching her learn and grow throughout their journey. Necromancy is one of my favorite fantasy tropes which is what initially drew me to this book. What kept me invested were the (good and bad) relationships between the characters, the magic system, and I had to know how it ended! Alyssa Appleton did a great job narrating the audiobook! Her smooth voice and hints of terror truly made this one come alive for me! Definitely give this one a try if you’re a fan of epic adventures, horror mixed with fantasy, and unique magic systems.

Asunder
by Kerstin Hall Alyssa Appleton (Narrator), Recorded Books (Publisher)
This is a great addition to the fantasy genre. Reaching out to the younger audience allowing a strong dynamic of young characters facing enormous challenges. the world building of this book envelops the reader in a conflict and dynamic circumstance that is appealing. The main character making choices that will haunt her is understandable. The real advent of starvation, and despite times make desperate choices for everyone. I like the strength of the characters, and how they have true motivation for their choices and actions.

Once again, I fall victim to a highly character driven book. I am not a fan of books that do not have a clear plot and goals. However, the writing in this book is phenomenal. The characters were all ones I was rooting for. And I really liked the relationships.

I did find that a lot of the "horror" elements of this book a little lacking. I never felt tense or scared. This was a minor let down for me.

I never really had a grasp of the plot of this book and if the only plot was to free the MMC, I have to say, that's a very weak plot. So, I found myself zoning out at times.

As for the audio narrator, I found it difficult to stay awake. Her voice is so soothing that it had me drifting. Add that to a plot with no clear direction and I really didn't absorb all this book was trying to do.

Overall, I get why people really love this book. Especially if you are a character driven reader. There is a lot to like. However, these elements kept the book from being a five star for me.

Asunder by Kerstin Hall is a masterful blend of fantasy and horror that quickly pulls readers into its eerie, beautifully crafted world. The novel follows Karys Eska, a deathspeaker locked into an unbreakable pact with Sabaster, an unforgiving eldritch being with three faces and a hundred wings. Sabaster grants Karys the ability to communicate with the newly dead, a gift she uses to investigate suspicious deaths in her troubled city.

When a routine job goes awry, Karys finds herself linked to Ferain, a mysterious dying stranger with dangerous secrets. In a desperate attempt to save him, she inadvertently binds him to her shadow, an act that could doom them both. As they are forced into an uneasy alliance, they must journey through a fading empire, facing arcane horrors and confronting their own haunted pasts. Along the way, Karys and Ferain must learn to trust each other if they hope to survive, all while Karys knows her debts to Sabaster will soon come due.

Hall’s storytelling is as chilling as it is captivating, weaving a narrative that balances moments of terror with beauty, tenderness, and hope. Karys is a strong, flawed protagonist, constantly learning and adapting, making her journey compelling and relatable. The side characters are richly developed, and the world-building, with its intricate magic system and vivid backdrop, adds depth to this haunting tale.

Asunder is an unforgettable read for anyone who loves fantasy tinged with darkness, filled with well-developed characters and a plot that keeps you on the edge of your seat. It's a story that lingers long after the final page, leaving a lasting impression.

Asunder reels you in with its eerie beauty within the first paragraph of this story. You're immediately immersed in a world of god-like entities, people with magical abilities, and a world with fascinating inventions and technology. Karys and Ferain are relatable characters who only become more relatable and likable as you learn more about their stories. One of my favorite parts of this book was the portrayal of female friendships. I love a good story where girls support girls and I devoured every bit of dialog and interaction in this area. This combined with the horror and fantasy elements had me glued to this book from start to finish. It's a perfect read for transitioning from summer to fall.

4.75🌟 — moody, adventure, fantasy, horror, slow-burn, soul-crushing ending, and a new trope (???) one-body forced proximity (!!!)

THIS. BOOK. HAS. IT ALL.
Asunder is the genre-bending imaginarium I didn't know I needed. This is my first Kerstin Hall read and I can say she had me hooked right away. Ohh how I love when I don't have to get 100 pages into a book for it to get interesting! Asunder is a dark sci-fantasy with elements of horror and slow-burn romance all while fueled with a character-driven plot. Our FMC, Karys, is the broody loner set on living out her days alone because alone is all she has ever been. A deadly pact with Sabaster, a terrifying eldritch creature, and a job gone awry leads her on the path to meeting Ferain, our MMC. Ferain is a breath of fresh air when it comes to typical MMCs. There is some broodiness as he and Karys learn to trust each other, but more so a sense of protection and responsibility from the very start. He's mysterious in a way that is only magnified by their forced proximity. Asunder has a semi-episodic nature that introduces us to a variety of side characters and "side quests" that I would happily want to know more about. All of Hall's characters are wholesome and fleshed out through the course of the story. Each one has a past and depth to who they are. I have never felt so connected to side characters before.

I'm going to avoid discussing much of the plot because while I can explain in simple-non-spoiler terms, it won't do justice to the depth and layers that are uncovered. It's dark, beautiful, intrinsically presented world-building, original, thoughtful, and just so so much more. The only reason I took a quarter of a star away is because of the length of the book. I feel like all plot points could have been hit and delivered with the same tenacity if the length was slightly shorter. Maybe that's just a personal preference though and it in no way takes away from the quality of this read.

The ending to this one absolutely DEVASTATED me!!! THIS IS A SERIES, RIGHT??!! I will gladly seek a pact with an eldritch creature if it means getting more of this world and these characters. Please, Kerstin, I am begging you!!

**Reader Disclaimer**
I was provided a free copy of the audiobook through Net Galley in exchange for an open and honest review. This has not affected my review in any way. Thank you, Net Galley, for the honor of reading this book!

Asunder had a very interesting premise and a great atmosphere. I think the plot was a little slow to develop but it was interesting. The audiobook was well done and I enjoyed the narrator.

This book had a very attractive synopsis and listening to the first few chapters, I knew I had to read this along with a hard copy. It has a complex and interesting world setup, very creative and executed rather well. The storytelling was atmospheric and I could form a very clear picture of the settings.

I really liked Karys’ deathspeaker abilities, the Veneer and in turn, the connection she forged with Ferain through the Split Lapse. Watching this entanglement come to a (slow) crescendo added an emotional connection for me, which I ended up enjoying the most. I really liked the secondary characters of Winola and Haeki, and later on Ilesha, they added history and great interactions throughout.

I wished there was a glossary of the characters, beings, locations and a map. It was difficult for me to remember all the players at large, there’s not a standard info dump to introduce you to the story and I found it a little lacking. But alas, I persisted and struggled mainly with the pacing.

The audiobook narrated by Alyssa Appleton was well performed, I appreciated her use of voice changes to distinguish every character.

Asunder left me with a few unanswered questions, so I’m curious if this becomes a series or will stay a standalone. 3.5⭐️

Thank you to RB Media for the audiobook copy to review.

I am struggling to give meaningful feedback for this.

First off, this is one of the best books I’ve read this year. Sometimes I’ll rate a book 5 stars and see that someone else rated it lower and sort of shrug, but this is one of those books where I actually am not accepting any criticism, thanks. I loved the blending of genres—high fantasy with an epic quest, body horror, eldritch gods, romance. At no point did I know what the next chapter would bring, whether it was a character trying to resolve their trauma from growing up in a small town that didn’t accept them to a scene straight out of Get Out to some of the most romantic dialogue I have ever read in my life to flesh melting in a horrific hell dimension. This was so dark and yet I loved the main characters so much. If this doesn’t get a sequel I will literally cry.

The narrator did an amazing job shifting the tone of the book along with the content. She conveyed a sense of ominous doom, of several characters talking back and forth rapidly, of sweet moments and of horror. This required a lot of range and I was very glad that she was up to the challenge.

This was excellent! A layered novel that blends sci-fantasy with horror elements in an expansive world. Asunder follows a deathspeaker named Karys who has bargained her soul for the ability to peer beyond the veil. While on a job, she stumbles across a dangerous secret and meets the dying heir of a wealthy family. In order to save him, she somewhat accidentally binds him to her shadow and sets off on a quest to find a way to free both of them. But this is a game with many players...

The world-building in this story is interesting and complex. Karys is a great character with a traumatic past just trying to survive. There are twists and turns that make this feel rather epic. From what I can tell, I THINK this is set in the same universe as Star Eater though following quite a different cast of characters in different places. One of my criticisms of that book was how gender essentialist the magic system was, and this seeks to correct that. We have a non-binary side character who shows up, and we get the sense that the way magic is viewed in the first book is coming from a sort of cult perspective that isn't inclusive of the entire world. I appreciate how this has complicated that narrative. Definitely worth a read! The audio narration is really good- the actors portray the characters well and it feels immersive with the right tone. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.

I was immediately pull into the story of Asunder, by Kerstin Hall. The voice acting was outstanding, causing me to become completely immersed in the story. This is a very entertaining audio book!

Asunder by Kerstin Hall was absolutely fantastic. The audiobook brought the whole experience of reading to another level. It was so well done! I loved it. The narrator did a great job of bringing the characters to life and making them unique from each other which I really appreciated. I loved this story and it left me wanting more. The writing was captivating and it kept me hooked the entire time. The world building was done so well and it definitely wasn't info-dumping where it kind of stops the story. Honestly, I would recommend this to so many people even if it's not their usual genre. The writing makes it so easy to get absorbed into the story.

This book has the perfect title because my heart has been torn ASUNDER upon finishing it!!!

From the moment I was dropped into this world I was enraptured. The haunting and dark atmosphere, the touches of horror, the magical workings, the characters, everything about this book is captivating.

I'm actually a fan of being semi to mostly unsure of what's going on in fantasy books, and I'd rather pick up the pieces as I go than be info-dumped at. This book takes its time building the world and I loved how it took me on an adventure while learning, and falling in love with the characters along the way.

Karys bound herself to an eldritch entity called Sabaster in her teens in a time of desperation. It granted her the power of a Deathspeaker, but also started a ticking clock on the time when Sabaster would call in her debt. After accidentally binding Ferain (a random stranger she met in a cave and knew for 3 minutes) to her shadow, they attempt to work together to save both of their lives.

Her decision making skills could definitely use some work, but Karys binding herself to Ferain was a set up for the most immaculate developments throughout the book. That applies to each of them respectively (mainly Karys) and between them. I loved Karys. And Ferain? Spectacular, give me 14 of 'em. We round out the crew with two equally interesting side characters, childhood friend Haeke and scholar Winola. The tension, desperation, yearning, sacrifice, and love in this book blew me away. I loved it and haven't stopped thinking about it.

The blurb says Sabriel meets Witch King. I'd already read and loved Witch King, and I get it. I am nothing if not a thorough researcher, so I immediately read Sabriel after finishing this: I can see it. I feel like it's also giving a hint of A Marvellous Light?

Thank you Tordotcom, NetGalley, and RBmedia for the ALC!

The audiobook quality and production was great! The narrator was a good fit for this book and I enjoyed listening to it.

Asunder was my first book by Kerstin Hall (I've been meaning to read Star Eater ever since it was announced *ahem*) but it certainly won't be my last. I'll get to her other titles ASAP. 

I'm usually not the biggest fan of high fantasy, where characters mostly travel and come across one obstacle after another. But both the characters, their challenges, and especially the world-building made me enjoy this one a whole lot. 

I liked the characters right from the start and loved seeing their relationship progress throughout the story while they learned more and more about each other. It was an interesting way of getting to know characters' backstories both by way of the shared connection and by meeting people from their past. The slow-growing trust over shared struggles was lovely to follow, and I just loved their relationship.

The world-building did no small task in me liking this one so much. Being able to speak with the dead, eldritch beings, and more—there were so many fascinating aspects to this world, I could not stop listening because I always wanted more.

The audio narration was excellent. Alyssa Appleton did an excellent job, and I hope I'll come across more books narrated by her in the future.

5/5 stars.

This is by far an aware Kerstin Hall's best work to date (not that I haven't enjoyed the Mkalis Cycle). The character work is incredible. The eldritch horror elements mixed with a second-world fantasy setting that has some intriguing technologies was fantastic. Above and beyond Hall fully transported me into this world she's crafted through her hauntingly beautiful prose. If you are on the hunt for a fantastical/horror-y read this spooky season, Asunder would be perfect.

*Note any character/place spellings may not be accurate as I listened to this via audio and we all know fantasy spelling can be unique at times.

Hall throws you into the plot of the novel headfirst with little set-up (but in a good way). The energy and plot drive the story forward at a fast pace initially. Then Hall sinks into character development and you come to know Karys, a deathspeaker. There was a fair amount of exposition-based world-building but nothing was revealed about Karys's character lightly. Karys is complex and because of the nature of her scenario we got moments of intense depth and her deepest fears but also her very guarded nature when interacting with others. I am typically quite good at seeing where the plot is headed from the jump and I can say there were twists and reveals that I did not seeing coming at all in Asunder.

Thank-you to Netgalley for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

A big thanks to NetGalley for providing an advance audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

..............I never thought I needed this kind of book in my life, but I was WRONG.

Asunder by Kerstin Hall is a fantasy novel that can best be compared to if Vespertine by Margaret Rogerson and One Dark Window by Rachel Gillig, had a monstrous baby. Karys Eska is a deathspeaker, locked into an irrevocable compact with Sabaster, a terrifying eldritch being—three-faced, hundred-winged, unforgiving—who has granted her the ability to communicate with the newly departed. She pays the rent by using her abilities to investigate suspicious deaths around the troubled city she calls home. When a job goes sideways and connects her to a dying stranger with some very dangerous secrets, her entire world is upended. Ferain is willing to pay a ludicrous sum of money for her help. To save him, Karys inadvertently binds him to her shadow, an act that may doom them both. If they want to survive, they will need to learn to trust one another. Together, they must journey to the heart of a faded empire, all the while haunted by arcane horrors, and the unquiet ghosts of their pasts. And all too soon, Karys knows her debts will come due.

This book made me feel so many things, I can't even begin to describe it. Except with endless with screaming and begging for a sequel.