4.5 ⭐️ THAT IS THE RUDEST ENDING EVER


WOW! This book has very “second book in a series/trilogy vibes” not a TON of plot movement but fantastic reveals, character development, relationship development, world building, and DONT GET ME FREAKING STARTED ON THAT ENDING.

I love this whole cast of characters! Every one is so vital and I feel genuinely interested in the fate of each character! This book continues RIGHT where book 1 left off which is always nice! We’re still in the academy setting with some slight traveling but the travel does not drag which is good!

Everyone’s chemistry, friendships, and depth are amazing! I’m deeply obsessed with Kip and his complex character even though he’s secondary 😂

Between the ending of book 1 and the end of this book, I’m fairly certain Helen hates Torj and Wren and never wants to give them a happy ending 😂🥲

Have some patience in the middle because this book AND ENDING 😭 are soooo so worth it!


Thank you so much NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this Advanced Listener Copy in exchange for an honest review! I’m in love!

★★★★★

❝ 𝙶𝚘𝚕𝚍 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚗 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚒𝚕𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚒𝚗 𝚊 𝚋𝚕𝚊𝚣𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚒𝚛𝚘𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚎𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛𝚜, 𝚐𝚒𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚙𝚘𝚠𝚎𝚛 𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚐𝚘𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚗. ❞

💭 𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬: Helen! You are seriously an auto buy author for me, and for good reasoning! You are a damn Queen 🙌🏼. This book was filled with tension, magic, secrets, mystery, and all the spice.

The way Helen executed the world building was 👩🏻‍🍳💋. I didn’t just listen to this book, I was THERE, especially when Torj was involved 🙃😉.

I felt so immersed in this book, I couldn’t stop reading it! There’s a lot of secrets uncovered in this book and I can only imagine how much more we will learn in the 3rd one.

My favorite part about this book is the character development. I loved watching Wren grow into the Woman we always knew she was! She’s truly discovering herself and I’m here for it. And then Torj. I really loved seeing a softer side of him. As always he’s down bad for his girl 🥹.

As far as Wren and Torj’s relationship development , I just love them. There’s no denying their chemistry, no matter how many times they tell themselves and eachother they’re not good enough for the other. There’s always this pull/tether that they can’t resist. They were definitely frustrating along the way haha 🤣. I just wanted them to own up to their feelings. It drove me MAD. However; Helen is so good at writing tension and yearning that it made it worth the while.

And of course you can’t forget Kipp,Cal, Thea and Wilder! I always love seeing them along the journey. They always have me laughing and thoroughly enjoying their stories.

🎧 𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: They were great choices for this audiobook. They portrayed Torj’s and Wren’s POVs so well.

Thank you @dreamscape_media ( @valentine_pr ) and @authorsjsylvis for this ALC

#romancereader #audiobookaddict #minireview #audiobookreview #readersofinstagram #readersofig #audiobookscount #audible #ALCreview #alc #valentinepr

Helen did it again. Wren and Torj's story continues and she did such a masterful job. I loved the original Thezmarr but the younger sister is truly my favorite!!!! Now to wait for the next book :'(

First, a huge thank you to Anne Sengstock and Helen Scheuerer for gifting me the ALC of the audiobook, it’s how I’ve experienced the entire series so far, and I couldn’t imagine it any other way.

Well, I knew myself so well… I said I’d pace it, but once I hit the halfway mark? Forget it, there was absolutely no stopping! I devoured this book.

As I said after Iron & Embers, I adore Wren. She’s one of my all-time favourite characters in fiction, complex, fiery, vulnerable, and her deep love for cats! She is so deeply relatable to me! Her and Torjs growth in this second instalment is inspicering. That ending had me screaming. I love that I got to read it, but I also hate that it’s over. I need the next book immediately.

Thorns & Fire truly has it all:
💔 Angst and longing
🔥 Spice and simmering tension
⚔️ Twists and turns
👑 Royal secrets and political intrigue
🧪 A deepening magic system with powerful alchemy

And of course, the heart of it all, found family and a soul-deep bond that hurts as much as it heals.

This series is easily one of my highlights of the year, and Thorns & Fire raises the stakes in every way. If you love sweeping epic fantasy with grit, heart, and unforgettable characters, do yourself a favour and start this series now!

“What fate has forged, even the Furies cannot sever.”

I just finished this absolute gem, and let me just say... Helen NEVER misses. The angst and tension in this book had me holding my breath for chapters on end. The banter between Wren and Torj had me squealing and kicking my feet. Iron and alchemy - The OTP to beat all.

I went into this book still raging mad at Torj... but Wren got him back pretty freaking good and on several occasions. She's such a fierce FMC. I want to be just like her when I grow up.

And Torj... Gosh, what a marshmallow 😂 I just adore him!
"He had fought cursed bears, arachnes, and shadow wraiths; he’d traveled the midrealms and led fucking armies. He’d closed a portal to a world of nothing but pain and darkness, and yet… it was the poisoner, the storm-wielding alchemist, who threatened to bring him to his knees."

These narrators did such a fantastic job bringing emotional depth to this story. And the gruff Torj voice was fantastic!! 🔥 I'll definitely be on the lookout for more books they narrate!

That ending.

Helen's Scheuerer never fails to craft a story that blends both story and romance without sacrificing one for the other. Torj is as swoony as ever, and Wren's wit never fails. Combined, these two are the most stubborn pair. But the tension, y'all. THE TENSION. The TENSIONNNNNNN. I basically screamed the whole time.

The twists were so good, and I cannot wait for the ending that promises to be a wild (and heartbreaking, if Helen's past books are anything to go by...) ride!!!

I enjoyed hearing it be brought to life! Emilia Bauer did a fantastic job especially with Wren and bringing life to her wit, intelligence, and sass. Both narrators did a great job with portraying the tension between the characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the opportunity to listen to the audiobook Thorns & Fire by Helen Scheuerer. Narrated by Matt Haynes and Emilia Bauer

First off, I’d liked to highlight how great both narrators were. Emilia gave an emotional and relatable performance. Matt Haynes did great at changing the tones of his voice to match certain characters. Overall I was happy with how well they both did!

The story, I genuinely enjoy this author’s books. She is a go to author for me.

This story gave us a lot of spice and some more answers but I truly felt there was a lot of unnecessary filler chapters. I also was aggravated to find out certain issues were not actual issues. So the cliffhanger we received from the last book felt pointless. I’m invested in this story and will read the next book but I gotta say I’m a bit disappointed. The good part is we get to see both main characters grow and we have a better understanding of their bond.

5 stars!!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I love this world and all the characters! Book one left us on a pretty big cliffhanger, not as big as this one though!!! Oh my gosh I was shocked!!! There’s is so much betrayal and politics going on that I don’t know who to trust!!??
We learned more about the soul bond and I don’t know how she did it but Helen Scheuerer put another slow burn in this book that was torture! I was hurting for both Torj and Wren!
I love the alchemy in this book and how it’s used and the information about all of it is so detailed and intriguing, a whole new approach to war in a fantasy series!
I’m ready for the next book!!! 📕
The narrators both knocked it out of the park! I was fully immersed the whole time I was listening
Spice 2/5 🌶️🌶️

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for the audiobook arc

Thorns & Fire is the gripping second installment in The Ashes of Thezmarr trilogy. While it can be read as a standalone, I strongly recommend starting with Legends of Thezmarr—not only for vital context, but to fully appreciate the recurring characters and the weight they carry into this series.
Picking up immediately after Iron & Embers, the story plunges us into the wreckage left by the Battle of Drevenor. Bonds are fractured. Trust has been obliterated. The survivors are forever changed. What follows is a raw and relentless fight—not just against outside forces, but the turmoil within. Peace in the Midrealms hangs by a thread, threatened by a rebel faction intent on tearing down everything that remains. As loyalty is tested and purpose is redefined, Thorns & Fire explores the cost of resilience and the flame that flickers even when everything else has turned to ash.
Wren carries the weight of heartbreak like armor—grieving Torj’s betrayal while refusing to crumble beneath it. Her pain is sharp, but she turns it into resolve, pouring herself into her duty to protect the Midreals from a rising threat. She shoulders the burden of leadership with a quiet, fierce determination, convinced that if anyone can save her people, it’s her. Watching her transform was electric. She doesn't rise with ease—she scrapes her voice from the wreckage and claims it with fire. Her loyalty never wavers, and her love never falters. But what truly moved me was how, through the steady faith of those who believe in her, Wren stopped surviving for others and started leading for herself. It felt like watching someone remember their own power.
Torj is a man carved from resilience—quietly intense, unshakably committed, and, at times, infuriatingly stubborn. Yet beneath that unwavering exterior lies a soul that pulses with feeling. He loves deeply, aches silently, and battles the belief that his emotions might burden those around him. His deepest longing isn’t extravagant—it’s the simple hope to belong. To build a constellation of connection and kinship that feels like home. And though he gives endlessly without expecting so much as a thank you, his generosity isn’t transactional—it’s instinctual. It’s who he is. Watching Torj finally accept that he is loved—not because he’s useful or tied to someone else, but because of his own quiet strength—was transformative. He’s no longer just Wren’s shadow. He’s a force all his own. And that moment, when he began to believe that others cherish him for the very person he is, nearly split my heart wide open. It’s about time the world showed up for him the way he’s always shown up for it.
As for Torj and Wren? That connection buzzed like static in the air—impossible to ignore, even when they tried. Watching them claw against gravity, refusing to give in to what’s clearly written in every glance, was exhilarating. The tension, the ache, the emotional whiplash—pure magic. I was wrecked and rooting for them, fists clenched, torn between sobbing and yelling, “Just kiss already!” Their banter? Sharp. Ridiculous. Delightfully petty. Each exchange a mini battle of wills that somehow made their chemistry even more irresistible. They may be stubborn, but the way they spar makes surrender look like a love language. Every joke is a deflection, every quip a challenge. They fight for the final word like it’s a crown, and somehow, that stubbornness only makes the bond burn hotter.

This audiobook was phenomenal! The narrators truly brought the story to life with their captivating cadence and nuanced interpretation. Their delivery made every moment compelling, and I couldn’t stop listening. I especially loved the dual point of view—it added depth and kept the narrative dynamic throughout.

I enjoyed the dual-narration audio book of this second installment in the Ashes of Thezmarr series. Book two finds us back with Wren Embervale and her merry band of found family on their way to Delmira to try to source more ingredients needed to try to replicate the antidote that Wren created and successfully used after the battle at Drevemore. Delmira isn't how Wren left it however, and the changes found within her kingdom's borders could be a huge power in the upcoming war that Thezmarr is facing against Silas, the Kingsbane. Silas has more than a few alchemy tricks up his own sleeve. Wren struggles to balance her second year at Drevemore with the distractions of an upcoming conflict for power in her already war-torn country, and a certain warsword named Torj who she swore she would not be seeing again. Filled with magic, romance, angst, and found family, in an academic setting, Thorns & Fire has us observing Wren as she starts to come into herself and her power. The audiobook version of this novel is particularly good as we have Matt Haynes portraying Torj Elderbrock and his furies' given strength, and Emilia Bauer narrating Wren's chapters. I particularly enjoyed the Hayne's portrayal of Kristopher 'Kipp' Snowden. The tone and inflections he used perfectly brought Kipp to life for me just as I imagined he would be.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media, NetGalley, and Helen Scheuerer for allowing me to receive an ALC of this novel for review.

Romania’s

Dual narration - Emilia Bauer & Matt Haynes

Well narrated and performed. I really like their voices.

Book #2 following Iron and Embers
This is an interesting listen. The writing is easy to follow and has great world building. I was intrigued and captivated by the characters. I highly recommend this to any fantasy book fan. It is a very enjoyable listen

Thank you to NetGalley, Helen Scheuerer, and Dreamscape Media for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

4.75 stars

I have an unpopular opinion, but I love this series more than the Legends of the Thezmarr. This book has good reveals and twists. I did get frustrated by Torj for not communicating with Wren, but I liked how things played out. I will say that this book does feel like a filler book, but I still loved it. I can’t wait to see what happens in book 3!

5 stars

The audiobook was excellent. Emilia Bauer and Matt Haynes did a great job with the audio. I would highly recommend listening to this series! It’s a great experience.

As someone who absolutely loved Iron & Embers, Thorns & Fire was a rather strong sequel, though not as standout in my mind as the first book.

✔ I find middle books in trilogies sometimes drag but this one did not! I was very engaged in the growing complexities of the political issues, Wren’s struggle to find a cure, and the development of the growing threat posed by Silas. Though not as action packed as the first installment felt, the plotline still remained interesting and well-paced despite the quieter nature of the struggles Wren and Torj were dealing with.
✔ Speaking of Wren and Torj, I rather enjoyed their growth as they learned to communicate better with each other. The yearning and care they hold for each other was always clear but their relationship required repairing and I’m glad this book took the time to do that. Wren’s hurt that Torj went around her to make major decisions felt very realistic and it wasn’t glossed over to allow them to get back together. In the meantime, romantic tension galore.
✔ Concerning just Wren, this book has been her time to shine. She’s grown so much from where she started in this series and the decision she makes at the end only confirms it. I’m really excited to see how Silver & Smoke (book 3) will wrap up Wren’s story.
✔ As in book 1, the side characters were just fantastic and a source of joy and amusement as the plot got darker concerning the enemies. I highly recommend everyone find themselves a Kip.

✖ I will say, as much as I enjoyed the romantic tension throughout the story, it’s a bit frustrating that it took so long for Torj and Wren to get on the same page and begin to learn to communicate to each other. It was necessary growth but the back-and-forth took up a lot of page time. Given the twist at the ending, I am hoping I won’t be reading the same “back-and-forth” with a different flavor in book 3.
✖ Additionally, I think that the time Wren spent physically at the academy was underutilized. Despite being at Drevenor, it didn’t necessarily feel like an “academia setting” as Wren researched to find a cure despite that being such a big element of the plot.

A note on the audiobook format: I really enjoyed the duet narration performed by Matt Haynes and Emilia Bauer. It created a very distinct separation between the Wren and Torj’s chapters. However, it felt rather awkward for me that Torj’s spoken lines were narrated by Emilia in Wren’s chapters and vice versa. It created a disconnect for me as a listener between what I thought a voice sounded like and what I would hear in alternating chapters.

4/5 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Thorns & Fire builds on everything I loved in Iron & Embers and raises the emotional stakes to a whole new level. It’s sharp, raw and aching with consequence. A middle book that knows it’s laying kindling for what’s to come but still burns bright with character, tension and pain.

Wren continues to be one of my favourite heroines, brittle and brilliant, still spitting venom even as the cracks start to show. Her grief, her guilt, her growing power... it’s all spiralling and I felt every inch of that unraveling. And Torj. Oh Torj. His edges are even rougher here, his protectiveness sharper, but the way he sees Wren even when she pushes him away wrecked me. Their dynamic is fierce restraint and impossible longing. That tension? Still exquisite.

This book leans into complication. It’s not just romance it’s war, legacy, consequence. It’s two people falling into each other and trying to claw their way out, not because they don’t care, but because they care too much.

And the side characters?? Still top tier. Cal’s steadfastness, Kipp’s sass, Dessa’s sharp wisdom, the found family threads deepen in ways that hurt in the best way. There are shifting loyalties, impossible choices and so many beautifully devastating moments that make you want to scream and highlight at the same time.

Yes it sets the stage for book three but it also delivers gut punch after gut punch, with enough payoff and character depth to keep me fully hooked. This is the kind of second book that matters.

Thorns & Fire is a story about choosing who you’ll become when everything you love is at risk and what you’re willing to sacrifice to hold on to it. I am not ready for what book three will do to me.

Narrated by Matt Haynes and Emilia Bauer, this audiobook absolutely delivers. Their voices match the emotional weight of the story fierce, aching and beautifully restrained.

Huge thanks to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Actual Rating: 4.5

Rating 4.5⭐
Spice 🔨⚡🌿

ALC REVIEW

We're back into the world of Thezmar with Torjs POV searching for the uprising with Wilder. While that is happening, Wren is hurt, as she should be, and pushing herself too hard to create the elixir. What our lovely character's don't know if somehow the Uprising is figuring out how to kill Warswords. Wren and Torj are trying to find the cure and search for clues about this said Uprising, and who's behind it. Our lovely main characters are forced to join hands again depsite the heartache Torj have done, but saving the world is important. Will they be able to work together, or will the heart give them something more than they deserve?

Can we just talk about how much I missed the world of Thezmarr and their characters? It was so heartwarming and pure joy of getting to see our favorite people there.

Another thing we need to talk about. I WANTED MORE BEGGING FOR FORGIVENESS. I WANTED TORJ TO GET ON HIS MFING KNEES IN FRONT OF WREN AND BEG MORE MERCY. Did we get that? NOOOOOOO, NOT REALLY NO. I WANTED <I>GROVELINGGGGG</I> Okay dramatics over. We did kinda get that... buttttt I felt Wren forgave him pretty quickly....i

Anywaayyysssss, this book was more character driven. I didn't know where the plot was heading. like at all until it was pretty much close to my face. I'm not really mad about it because the interactions between all of the MCs and SCs (especially Kipp, I absolutely adore him and just loveee how much we get him in this book. I did miss Cal though)

The ending gave us a hint of how much boss queen Wren is going to be in the last book. I am so excited and hope we get everything cleared up. Wren and Torj deserve a happy ending

P.S (Spoilers) I love that Xavier(?) has a crush on Cal... and how much Cal really worries about him....I lowkey (highkey) want a novella about them. And yeaa Cal is probably straight...but we don't know that do we 😉

I received the ALC through Netgalley, absolutely an honor to be approved by the publisher. My opinons are honest and true.

Okay, so, honestly? The first part was a little slow. Lots of traveling and setting things up, but once it got going, it really got going! Think magic, a creepy new bad guy, political games, and Wren and Torj's slow-burn romance getting even hotter. I really enjoyed getting to see more of Torj’s character in this book. You get to see he is actually quite a softie! And Wren? She's even more of a total badass! Plus, all our favorite side characters are back.Speaking of hot, the romance is intense. Maybe a little too intense for me, actually. There were a lot of spice scenes that started to feel repetitive. I’m not complaining or anything, I just found myself skipping a few of them!The ending though? Whoa! Super exciting, but also a bit heart-wrenching. I’m already dying to read the last book, because I am so invested in this world and its characters. Definitely recommend if you enjoyed the first one!


I rated it 3.5⭐️ rounded to 4⭐️

Thanks so much to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the ALC! All opinions are my own.

This second installment in the Ashes of Thezmarr series completely delivered on the promise of Iron and Embers. We pick up right where we left off - Wren is emotionally devastated and so confused by Torj’s abandonment and determined to find an alchemical antidote to the shadow alchemy and save the Midrealms. Torj is determined to be stoic and protect her at all costs.

Since I read this via audio, I’ll review the writing and narration separately.

Writing: (world building) This is a world we’re already familiar with thanks to the author’s earlier works but Scheuerer continues to grow it through her character’s journeys. We consistently learn more about the impacts of magic on the people and lands of the world as it expands.
(story): I literally can’t get enough of Torj and Wren’s story as they navigate their feelings for each other and their individual determinations to protect the people and purposes they love. They’re both so prickly but neither can deny their intense attraction or feelings for each other - but they’re both willing to put that bond aside in order to do what is necessary to accomplish their goals. This kind of sacrifice, giving up what you want most in the world in order to save the world… it gets me every time. And that ending? No one delivers an emotional punch to the solar plexus in cliffhanger form quite like Helen Scheuerer.

Narration: 3rd person POV told with dual narration. Both narrators are skilled at their craft. Emilia Bauer portrays Wren and does such an amazing job depicting her anger, righteousness, determination and confusion. And Matt Haynes as Torj? The devastation in his voice during the final reveal at the end will haunt me until the next installment is released.

Read if you love:
* Fated love
* Academic setting
* Bodyguard X body being guarded
* Enemies to lovers to enemies to enemies who are lovers to…?
* Groveling
* Elemental magic
* Potions and poisons and brewing, oh my
* Political intrigue
* Kipp. No notes. He’s amazing.

I was a fan of The Legends of Thezmarr series, so I sped read through book 1 in this series (Ashes of Thezmarr) just in time to get my hands on the ARC of this book. Good series, but with all series, it seems like this particular book in the series is the “filler” book connecting the 1st and 3rd books. This one was slower, had some fluff, but also had a great ending to set up book 3.

Where has this book been all my life? It's the perfect sequel to Wren and Thorj's story- throwing us right back in to the chaos and plot frenzy. The fates, the prophecies, the ever-growing bond between the characters is everything I need in a fantasy romance! This book is written in dual POV and is more character development heavy, but is a necessary switch to move us through the story in this trilogy. Read it! It does not disappoint!

I loved reading the book and I loved listened to this audiobook!! Thank you for this ALC!!

Having Wren and Torj voices enhances all the emotions and creates even more tension! It is a brilliant audiobook and I’ll recommend it to any reader who want to listen to Torj’s HOT brooding voice.

Wilder’s voice was a bit off (he sounded a bit like a goblin….) but he has very parts so it didn’t bother me much.
And also, within Wren’s chapters she’ something gear Torj’s voice in her head but we hear the female voice which is quite confusing…

Overall, good job!!