| Title | : | Iron \u0026 Fire (Silk and Steel, #2) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Format Type | : | Kindle , Hardcover , Paperback , Audiobook & More |
| Number of Pages | : | - |
| Publication | : | First published April 19, 2019 |
From his mother’s cage to a human one, but Lysander’s captors are the least of his concerns. Rumors of a monstrous bronze dragon ripple through human camps, a dragon tearing great holes in the world as though searching for something… or someone.
It’s just a matter of time before the bronze chief, Dokul, finds Lysander and makes good on his promises. And should he find him, Lysander knows Dokul will not be merciful.
Amidst the greatest of elven victories, Eroan failed. Failed his people, failed himself, and failed the dragon who saved him. But he will not falter. The dragonkin are in disarray, there will never be a greater opportunity to strike. Eroan Ilanea will not fail his people again.
But when rumors of the dragon prince’s survival reach him, he must choose: Fight for his people or fight for the prince who nobody thought to save?
***
Contains adult themes, triggering content, a bisexual elf, and a gay dragon shifter.
Iron \u0026 Fire (Silk and Steel, #2) Reviews
-
“What is this thing between us?”
Eroan’s chin rubbed his head and when he spoke, his voice rumbled through Lysander. “It is everything.”
✅ Dark post-apocalyptic vibe
✅ Characters
✅ Dragon-shifters and elves
✅ 2 POVs
✅ Sexual tension and smut
✅ Angst
✅ Romance (M/M)
✅ Plot
✅ Pace
❗️❗️ Trigger warnings: abuse, rape, slavery and torture.
The roller coaster of emotions this book just took me on was insane!Protect him, an old dragon had once told him. He won’t ask for it and will fight you at every step, but you must protect him. He is the future.
Lysander is now a captive of the humans, but it is only a matter of time before Dokul finds him and takes him. Meanwhile, Eroan still thinks that he is responsible for Lysander’s death and he is trying to live with his guilt, while also trying to rally the other elves to his cause, show them how to efficiently kill dragons, and convince them that an alliance with the humans would be beneficial. When he learns that Lysander has been alive for all those months and that he is now at the mercy of Dokul, Eroan needs to choose between saving the dragon nobody ever saved, or staying with his people. He and Lysander will have to find a way to work together if they ever hope to succeed in killing Dokul and stopping the unending cycle of death.
The world-building remains the same in this sequel, with the dark post-apocalyptic vibe. The first part of the book was more focused on Eroan’s character development, his quest to save Lysander and kill as many dragons as possible, and his complicated relationship with Lysander. Eroan has a lot of conflicted feelings, and he needs to come to terms with and accept the fact that he loves a dragon, against all odds. His people’s disgust and hatred for dragons, and their revulsion at the idea that Eroan might have developed a connection with their enemy only make it more difficult for him to deal with all he’s feeling, and thank god for Seraph’s pep talks and steady presence.But at what point did just surviving become too much of a torture?
Lysander.
I love him.
My heart broke for him in this sequel. Even though there are lighter and sweeter moments, he got abused so bad. My poor baby was just trying to survive, stay sane, and do the right thing, and he got used and fucked every time. He did not deserve everything that happened to him. I really felt like crying and I wanted to hit Eroan in the face for not being in a hurry to help Lysander in the first part of the book. This sequel seriously made me go through so many emotions both times I read it, I wanted to scream, rage, cry, and squeal.“My name is Eroan Ilanea.” He flexed his grip on the sword, swallowed the ash-coated choking knot in his throat and narrowed his eyes. “And that emerald dragon is mine.”
*shivers*
While Lysander's chapters were hard to read because he went through so much abuse, they were so raw, engaging, and addictive at the same time! Eroan’s chapters were also more interesting than in the first book I think because his character changed and gained depth in this book. I was SO FREAKING HAPPY when he finally decided to go look out for Lysander, and when he got all badass and saved his dragon.
It was amazing.“Hold on to me. Don’t look back. I have you.”
“I have you,” a voice rumbled in the closed, quiet place. Those three small words broke him open, laying him bare. And for the first time in a long time, living no longer hurt.
Eroan closed his arms around Lysander, tucking the prince beneath his chin, so close Lysander’s trembling became his own. If he could have shared the burden, he would have, but now, all he could do was hold him and hope that was enough.
The slow-building romance between Lysander and Eroan is perfect. It is sweet and pure in the middle of all the shit going on around them, yet it’s also full of angst and anger. They love as fiercely as they fight, and the pay-off was worth suffering through the first book, and we got some hot and steamy moments in this book. I especially adored how Eroan didn't give up on Lysander, no matter what happened. He sees through his cruel and steely mask and he keeps his promise to never give up on him. I also liked how we saw their reluctance to be together and they fight against the way they feel, as they also fight for each other and long to be together, and they are just both so confused about their feelings.“On a scale of one to ten, how much do your people want to kill me? Ten being they’d like to gut me and hang my carcass from their biggest tree and one being we’ll all sit around the campfire drinking hot milk.”
Eroan took too long to think about it. He cinched the ropes tight. His light eyelashes flicked up, framing blue eyes. “Eight.”
“Oh, eight. Lovely. And I suppose those who don’t want me dead are you and Seraph?”
“Something like that.”
Eroan was captive of the dragons in the first book, and in this one, it was Lysander’s turn to spend some time with his “enemies”. If Eroan and Lysander want to be able to change things for the better, they need to convince the elves that not all dragons are stupid, violent brutes, and that starts with showing them that they can trust Lysander. Of course, things are never that easy, and I was outraged to see how unfairly Lysander and Eroan were treated by the elves, but at the same time, I absolutely adored seeing Lysander decide to protect them and fight for them even though they did nothing to deserve it.She sprang, and Lysander readied for a dagger in the gut or across his throat. She crashed into him, flung her arms around his neck and dragged him down, into a full-body hug.
“Huh, we’re hugging…? All right.” His muscles unlocked and carefully he looped his free arm around her back, pulling her close. Gods, she was a little thing.
Seraph is such a lovable, feisty, kind, and amazing secondary character. She is the steady presence at Eroan’s side throughout the series, and she never stopped believing in Lysander and fighting for him. I really hope one day we’ll be lucky enough to get a Seraph spinoff or novella because I need more of her, and I want to see her get a well-deserved happy ending.“You never gave up on me,” Lysander whispered
I devoured the first and second books of this series both times I read them, and I am starting the third one right away. This series is seriously addictive. It’s sexy, angsty, dark, full of action, and amazing characters, it has some sweet moments at the same time.
I LOVE IT.“You’re the light in my dark.”
0.5
Sealed with a Kiss ⭐⭐⭐.5
1.
Silk & Steel ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Follow me on Instagram 🙂 -
5 stars.
“you never gave up on me.”
“i never will.” 🖤
✦ i’m obsessed. this series is absolutely amazing. i can’t wait to read the next book!
“this wild, impossible elf was looking at him as though he were his whole world. he’d never had that before, never felt this overwhelming sense of belonging. with anyone.”
✦ Eroan and Lysander SLAY me. they’re so beautiful together. the tension, the lust, the yearning. the way they keep saving each other, doesn’t matter how crazy their whole situation is.
“Eroan ached to mindlessly taste and explore this complicated treasure, to whittle away the hours beneath the stars until there was no inch of him left unexplored. if it was a madness, then let him be insane, because nothing had ever felt as right as this.”
✦ my poor darling baby Lysander. he suffered so much in this book. i want to him realise just how truly powerful he is asap.
“you free me, Eroan Ilanea.”
✦ i really hope that Eroan and Lysander stay together for the majority of the next book. they’ve spent way too much time apart in this series so far. i need them to become the power couple i know they can be and ruin all their enemies together. Akiem not included. i know he’s kind of one of the bad guys and all that, but i can’t help that my body tingles anytime he shows up tbh lmao. can’t wait to read his book!! -
5 'Elves & Dragons' stars
Wherever Lysander’s rage had come from, whatever had caused it, Eroan recognized the need behind it all. He’d felt the same often enough. The need to rage at the world, to fight because the alternative would be to fall in the dirt and let the world rage at you.
Holly wowzers!! I thought that the first book was action-packed but this one was on the whole new level. Seriously, this book didn't let you catch your breath not even for a second. So many things have happened, so many unexpected secrets were relieved and so many people surprised me with their actions.
I have no idea where to start... Ok, let Seraph be the first one because I did her a great injustice not mentioning her in the previous review at all.“Yeah, well, you forgot to wait for me, so of course I was going to follow you.”
She is such a precious creature. She is so fierce and loyal and brave. And most importantly, she's not afraid to fight for what she believes in, no matter what other people say. Also, she is always there for Eroan and Lysander to nudge them in the right direction when they are too stubborn to see what's in front of them. And thinking about her, she's like a love child of Lysander and Eroan. No wonder they are both so fond of her.She sprang, and Lysander readied for a dagger in the gut or across his throat. She crashed into him, flung her arms around his neck, and dragged him down, into a full-body hug.
“Huh, we’re hugging…? All right.”
Eroan and Lysander... they made me swoon, they made me cry, they made me rage, they made me wanna kick their balls and then some. Their relationship is all over the place but nevertheless, I couldn't have loved them more because of it.Lysander was the enemy. And Eroan had never wanted to touch, taste and explore someone as much as he did him.
There were many heartbreaking scenes. Watching Lysander reach his breaking point (twice!) was so painful.“Could you ever love a broken thing like me?”
And, of course, there were a lot of rescuing stuff. I think I will never get tired of them saving each other's asses all the time. Honestly, I'm a little surprised they are still alive because they attract mortal danger like it's a national sport. Well, I guess it is in these lands.“My name is Eroan Ilanea.” He flexed his grip on the sword, swallowed the ash-coated choking knot in his throat, and narrowed his eyes. “And that emerald dragon is mine.”
And let's not forget about the sexy times. I was afraid that the author would be a vicious tease and left us hanging like in the first book but no, she more than made up for because they were scorching hot together.
The elf was a heated, writhing, vision of temptation. His mouth wicked, the fire in his eyes like some personal torment designed just for Lysander. To have Eroan would be to capture a wild force, one Lysander would do anything for.
As for others... I need Dokul to die. Like yesterday. No, scratch that. Like fucking last year! And Nye too. Also, I wouldn't exactly cry for Mirann either. I'm still deciding about Carline and Akiem. But on the second thought, I quite like Akiem. Love me some bad, bad dragons. However, he definitely needs to suffer first for what he did to Lysander. Well, this series is making me bloodthirsty.
The epilogue was absolutely a killer mood but the last chapter was so beautiful. Eroan and Lysander should really take some time off. Even assassins and runaway princes should get a vacation, right?
Eroan sank his fingers into Lysander’s hair, cupped his head and pulled him into a kiss that said everything words alone could not.
I love the special note comment 🥰🥰
BR with Melanie. Here's to another great story. Crossed fingers the last book will go with the bang! 😃💛 -
Audio - 5 +++ Stars!
Story - 5 +++ Emotional and Brutal Stars!
This book has me blood thirsty! As much as I want Lysander and Eroan to find their peace and happiness, I'm ready for some bloody revenge scenes.
Ugh! Is it October yet? I need book 3 NOW! -
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Whoa. That was one of the more difficult books I've struggled to get through in a while-- not because it was bad, but because it was so unrelentingly brutal. After finishing this, all I could think was, Game of Thrones, eat your heart out, because there's a new bad bitch on the block. Only since this is about a bisexual elf and a gay dragon, I guess you could call it Gay of Thrones. Or, my favorite alternative title: Lysander Can't Catch a Fucking Break.
IRON & FIRE continues where the first book,
SILK & STEEL, left off. Humans, dragons, and elves are at war. Eroan, the elf, was captured when he tried to assassinate the dragon queen. Obviously, that failed, and he ended up as the prisoner of the royal dragons. Lysander is the young prince, and the black sheep of the family because he's gay and unbreedable and also because everyone thinks he's sniveling, weak and pathetic. He drowns his shame in alcohol, but after meeting the elf and seeing him remain unbroken, he starts to want to drown in something else... like that booty. The feeling even seems like maybe it's mutual.
Of course, this is not your mother's romance novel, and absolutely nothing works out. There is rape, slavery, torture, violence, incest, and abuse, and basically a whole entire rainbow of trigger warnings. The book ends with both leads apart and hating each other once more because of a betrayal. Eroan must return to his people as an outcast to convince them to fight the dragons, and Lysander ends up being an abused and broken plaything, only to be reborn like a phoenix from flames as a fucking death machine fueled by Kill Bill levels of revenge and rage, including a certain elf.
The plotting and the reveals in this book were really great. Second books often end up falling short because they end up as placeholders for the series finale, and have mostly expositions and padding. Not this book. There were expositions, yes, but it was an entire roller-coaster of W-T-F getting there, and if you thought the first book was dark, this one is where Nash really snuffs out all the lights.
Knowing what I know now about the dragons, I'm dying to see what happens in the last book. I can't wait for the epic showdown I know is going to happen. I keep hoping Lysander will catch a break, or six, and that Eroan will get his head out of his ass long enough to realize that he doesn't really know everything. Also, I actually don't want Akiem to die. He's a psycho dragon, but he's my psycho dragon, and he's one sexy mother-fucker (literally, yikes) of a villain and I'm kind of obsessed. You should see his fight scenes and read some of his one-liners if you don't believe me, damn. He's fire. 🔥
October 11th can't come soon enough.
P.S. I buddy-read this with Maraya, and you should definitely check out
her review. 🐉
3.5 to 4 stars -
*Plot spoilers ahead, read your tw's if you have a tender soul*
How I imagine Ariana's writing process goes:
Ariana on her way home:
Ariana sitting down to plot the story:
Ariana's face when she knows what she has to do: (for the greater good, and by the greater good, I mean my own personal enjoyment🙈)
Ariana DIRECTLY AFTER writing a nice, chill-ish first 25% of this 2nd book...
✨✨✨DRAGON R@PE✨✨✨
✨✨✨DRAGON R@PE✨✨✨
✨✨✨DRAGON R@PE✨✨✨
✨✨✨DRAGON R@PE✨✨✨
GURL WHAT???????????
WHY AM I STILL FUCKING SURPRISED AT THIS POINT FR??????????
The first book had INCEST AND PENIS AS A MURDER WEAPON FOR GOD'S SAKE??????
Grow up Chelsea. 🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️🤦🏻♀️
The dragon element was a surprise though........ and this book in general, I warn, is SUUUUUPER r@pey........
And as much as I do not condone that behaviour, it felt somewhat imperative to the narrative??????
OR MAYBE I'M JUST FUCKING DELUSIONAL? EITHER WAY. IDC 🤷🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️.
I didn't love those scenes obviously but they felt necessary.
And realistically, in the end, the nice things that do happen have that extra tinge of "🔥I WILL FUCKING BURN THE WORLD DOWN TO BE WITH YOU🔥" vibes, and the niceness hits SO MUCH HARDER because of all the previous ✨TRAUMA✨ sooooooo.....
BOOK 3 LETS FUCKING GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
That Nye guy better SIT THE FUCK DOWN.
& Ariana better be fucking nice to my boy Lysander (and even Eroan realistically) in book 3... or I swear to god........
-
⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱*Might Contain Spoilers*⋰⋱⋰⋱⋰⋱
This book was a little harder to read. I lost complete respect for Eroan in this book - sure he won some of it back but barely. Lysander did nothing but to help him and Seraph, and Eroan left him for dead. Left him to be raped, which he was, many times. I hate him. I hate how it change Lysander. From being a sarcastic badass to... scared. It breaks me that he is/was broken. That his instincts was now to submit. He was the only light in this book and he deserves so much fucking more. I hate that he had to go through all that, all that torture, all that rape - and it was a lot of rape. While book one had attempted rape, this one had lots of rape and mostly towards poor Lysander.
That said, I still hate the representation of dragons here. Mindless beasts who rape and fuck anything - including "family", torture and has no loyalty. It's a disgusting take on the dragons and I love dragons so this is hard for me to read. While I love elves, dragons has always been superior to all supernatural creatures in my eyes so even though the representation to the dragons here is that most of them are evil, I still find it difficult to cheer for the elves. I have a feeling I will not be satisfied with how this series will end...
Characters:
→ Prince Lysander Amethyst (25), a dragon shifter.
→ Eroan Ilanea, one of the last elven assassins of the Order.
→ Prince Akiem, Lysander’s older brother and was favorite to the queen. Becomes King.
→ Queen Elisandra, Lysander and Akiem's mother. Lysander killed her in book one.
→ Carline, dragonkin, healer. Old.
→ Dokul, dragonkin, the formidable bronze chief - bronze: they were known for their strange hoarding obsession. He’s one of the first. Dokul is the only one to survive the rising. The last of the great metal rulers: Gold and Silver are dead. The jewel-line, Lysander's generation, came next. Faster, more cunning, more vicious in every way.
→ Mirann, dragonkin, bronze, Dokul's daughter. Lysander was promised to her through a deal with the Queen and Dokul in book one.
→ Elder Xena, elf on the council. Killed by Mirann in book one?
→ Janna, elf and friend of Eroan.
→ Seraph Brennan, elf and part of the Order.
→ Curan and Nye Cadogan, elves and part of the Order. The only two people in the Order older than Eroan.
→ Chloe, human and part of the resistance against dragons.
→ Ben, human and a scientist - dracologist: made it his life’s work to study all races of dragon.
→ Sentinel Venal, elf of the Ashford Higher Order.
Quick basic facts:
Genre: - (Adult) Dark FantasyRomance(M/M).
Series: - Series, Book Two.
Love triangle? -
Cheating? -
Triggers? -
HEA? -
Favorite character? - Prince Lysander Amethyst.
Would I read more by this author/or in this series? - Yes, I believes so.
Would I recommend this book/series? - Yes, though only if you like dark themes.
Will I read this again in the future? - No.
Rating - 2 stars. -
4.5 STARS!!
"What is this thing between us?"
Dark action-packed adventure with a forbidden love twist = a very happy Melanie. So good, you guys!
First, a huge thank you to
MONIQUE for getting me to read this series in the first place, and then continuing to read with me. What a ride! We're having so much fun.
Ok, so Eroan and Lysander's story continues and like its predecessor, book 2 clips along at a seriously fast pace. The author barely gave me a chance to catch my breath and kept me glued to the pages.An elf and a dragon was an impossible thing.
Eroan's duty still comes first . . ."Do you ever stop taunting death, Eroan Ilanea?"
. . . and Lysander continues to struggle with his identity . . .
"I am an Assassin of the Order, death is my life.""I am prince by blood but not in heart."
. . . but there were definitely concessions made on the romance front!"If you keep looking at me like that, elf, I may act on the promise in your eyes."
I mean, what could be better than mortal enemies falling in love over the course of a series?Time wasn't going to change his past, time wasn't going to fix the future.
This installment did not disappoint! There were so many incredible moments; horrific ones, scorching ones, SATISFYING ones (I'm looking at you, Mirran!), and heartbreaking ones. So worth reading! I highly recommend if you're into dark reads.Own, take, bite, fuck. Each need thumped in time with his heart. Own, take, bite, fuck. The dragon was too chose to the surface, muddying his thoughts.
If I had to complain (and the reason I didn't go with a full 5 stars), I'd say that the plot moved TOO fast. Sometimes I wanted a bit more inner reflection on events from the characters if only to give myself a chance to feel my own emotions. But is this really criticism? LOL.
Happy reading everyone, and stay safe. <3 -
Silk & Steel series
Book 0.5 -
Sealed With A Kiss
Book 1 -
Silk & Steel
Book 2 -
Iron & Fire
Book 3 -
Blood & Ice
Book 3.5 -
Lost & Found
Book 4 -
The Black Prince
5 ‘it is everything’ ✨
If you want to trust me, you must trust all of me. I am dragon, that’s never going to change.
Iron & Fire was exactly what I wanted in a sequel and then some! This book made me feel all of the emotions possible under the sun, but it still wasn’t enough. It was not healthy for my heart at all because it made my heart cry, hope, race, swell, soar, and much more.
“I have you,” a voice rumbled in the closed, quiet place. Those three small words broke him open, laying him bare. And for the first time in a long time, living no longer hurt.
This book picks up shortly after the events of the first book and never drops. It was a roller-coaster full of animosity, guilt, torture, earning, betrayal, and, most importantly, realizations. The dragon queen has been slayed, but the elves want to completely eliminate the race that has forever tormented them and oppressed them: the dragons. But it is definitely not easy because these beasts retaliate in brutal ways. In this journey full of almost fatal mistakes, Eroan and Lysander lose so much, even parts of themselves, to gain something even bigger—love.
Lysander was the enemy. And Eroan had never wanted to touch, taste and explore someone as much as he did him.
The fast pace of this book combined with amazing writing and realistic characters made me an emotional mess. The amount of quotes and scenes that I have highlighted in this book are pure madness and far greater than I have done in any other book. It was just so beautiful how they fought for each other and overcame the barriers placed on them by their upbringings and races to be allowed to feel what they feel for each other freely. I already know I want to own this series in physical format because I never want to part from it.
“Why do you keep saving me?”
“Because…in the one place I expected to die, you gave me a reason to live.”
“What reason?”
“You.”
Even though Eroan and Lysander were highlights of this book, it would not be the same without some of the other characters. First one that I want to mention is Seraph, younger assassin in the Order that was trained by Eroan. Seraph was such a little badass. I love how fierce her love and admiration is for Eroan and Lysander. I completely agree with my friend, Monique, who described her as the love child of Eroan and Lysander. The other character that I want to mention is Akiem, Lysander’s brood brother. His actions in the previous book and most of this book have been so harsh and seemingly unredeemable, but he is such an interesting and contradicting character. I can’t help but hope that I see more of Akiem in future books and that he is redeemed.
…Eroan knew in that moment he could never use Lysander like his people wanted. He deserved more from them. He deserved to be heard, to be seen for who he was, not what he was.
Overall, this book was better for me than the first book and I absolutely fell in love with the characters and their growth in it! I’m so glad the whole series is already out because I can’t wait to jump into the next book. If you are interested in dark fantasy and M/M romance and are not too fazed by the trigger warnings for these books, I highly recommend jumping into this series and letting it transport you into a world full of arrogant elves and broken dragon princes.
“I can’t think of anything else I’d rather do.” Or anyone I’d rather be with. He was fairly certain this decision would get him killed but there was nothing and no one else he’d gladly die for. -
![moonlight ☾ [semi-hiatus]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1645500038i/37448930._UX200_CR0,0,200,200_.jpg)
"Could you ever love a broken thing like me?"
"You are a light in the darkness, a diamond in the rough. After everything you've been through, surviving your kin, you still smile. You're kind, and brave, and compassionate. I do not think I would be the same had I suffered as you have. I admire you. For that, and for the many things, prince. You are not broken. You are the strongest of us all."
✧ so... Ariana Nash just loves to make her characters suffer, huh. 😩 if you've never read anything by her before, that's probably the first thing you should know about her books. my bb Lysander couldn't catch a break. :( i loved him so much and Eroan's quote above, the way he described Lysander was exactly how i felt about him. he deserves all the love. 🥺🥺
✧ it took me a while to warm up to Eroan bc, especially in book one, it felt like Lysander had saved his ass countless times and he just took it for granted; however, he definitely grew on me in this book. i love and hate his stubbornness. i hated it mainly in the previous book and the beginning of this book bc of the way he refused to check up on Lysander, telling Seraph that he belongs with his own kind (even tho his "kind" had done nothing but torture him 😒) but, once he finally gave in the need to save Lysander, that's when i started loving how stubborn he was bc, even when Lysander would push him away, he'd refuse to take the bait and leave him. he gave me the biggest whiplash in this series, yet i'm glad i ended up liking him. <3
✧ SERAPH IS THE TRUE MVP. i loved her so, so much!! 😭
✧ Lysander and Akiem lowkey gave me Thor and Loki vibes?? like just the type of dynamic they had, i mean. Loki's one of my fav marvel characters so i won't be surprised if i end up loving Akiem in his own book...although he's already catching my eye here as well. he's definitely an intriguing character. 👀
✧ i loved the moments we had between Lysander and Eroan in this book, but i hope they stick together in the next book bc the times they separated felt dragged out to me, personally. ☹️
✧ me whenever Dokul, Nye or Mirann appears:
-
Please stop hurting my C H I L D R E N
-
(3.5) I liked parts of this book. But otherwise I don't know what happend, I just didn’t feel that much engaged in it.
-
"What is this thing between us?"
"It is everything."
4 stars again for my son Lysander
me @ everyone about Lysander:
Although I gave Iron & Fire the same rating as Silk & Steel , I do think that the sequel is better. It didn't expand the world much (almost at all) and we weren't really introduced to any new characters but the author did great work on the characters we already knew (especially my favourite boy Lysander!!!!! but I also appreciated Eroan's development a lot). This book felt more like a normal fantasy story-wise, contrary to its predecessor, which was was just pain, torture, Lysander being hurt and more pain. What I'm trying to say is there were some happy bits here lol.
The Story
As I said I liked the plot of this book more than Silk & Steel. This being said, the beginning was harder to read than anything in Book 1 and just
I must say one thing that didn't really improve from the previous book is the fact that I still didn't care about the elves or the humans. I found them extremelly boring and their unchanhing opinion on Lysander despite being proven wrong again and again and again made them seem quite dumb, like yeah I get now why you were all conquered.
Going back to the beginning, while Lysander's chapters were hard to read they were still super interesting like your eyes were just glued to the page, while Eroan's were hard to read just because they were sooooooo boooring ugh. And that didn't change throughout the book - whenever there were chapters just about the elves without Lysander being there I was so bored and infuriated with them and just didn't care.
The Characters
Firstly, Lysander
While him changing is regarded as a bad thing in the book, I was all for it. Like good for him, he should show them all, he should exact his revenge and I can't wait to see him thrive in book 3.
I liked Eroan significantly more in this book. He had a great character development or as I like to say - he finally grew a backbone. I liked that he stopped blindly accepting everything he was told by the elves and started fighting for himself and for Lysander. I liked him letting himself go when he was with Lysander and just as a whole he became a richer and better character.
Akiem was a nice but expected surprise. Nevertheless, I am quite intrigued and can't wait to read more about him.
Nye--
The Romance
I'll say it-- it gave me the flutters a few times, they were sooooo cute. The pay-off was definitely worth suffering though book 1. I especially liked how Eroan didn't give up on Lysander, no matter what happened, that was probably my favourite part. I liked how we saw their reluctance to be together, their trying not to fall in love but being unable to stop it. I mean, let's be fair, we're all reading this book for the romance and it's totally worth it!
All in all, a Iron & Fire was a great sequel, as expected, it built and improved on the first book, I'd defnitely recommend continuing with the series if you're debating it! -
All right, so this book was headed for a 4 star when Eoran annoyed me more than usual. He's only just now starting to grow on me a little bit, and only because he FINALLY admitted (indirectly) what he feels for Lysander.
Lysander is my boy. He's the heart of this series. Eoran is barely good enough for him. He wears his heart on his sleeve tho no one has ever taught him love. He's loyal and true and kind, despite everything that's been done to him. I LOVE LYSANDER!!!
There are a few surprises in this book, I won't spoil them for you. Loyalties, good and bad, always shifting. There's perhaps no evil per se. Just hunger for power, rule of the strongest, etc. The copious rapes (unfortunately, mostly of Lysander) are demonstrations of power, and in that sense, they didn't totally piss me off, though it was getting kinda tedious. I mean, come on! How many people has to rape Lysander?? Females, males, his own mother tried. Enough is enough! He better not get any more rape in book 3!!
All in all, still very entertaining. So here I go to book 3. -
This book also gets 3.5 stars, just like Book 1, but I will be generous and round up instead of down this time.
The things tipping in this book's favor:
* MCs finally have SEX!!
* MCs finally start trusting each other and Eoran starts behaving less like a TOTAL DICKWAD!!
* Still plenty of abuse and DRAGON RAPE (new one) but somehow less CONSTANT vs. Book 1
* Still love my baby --Lysander!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🐉🐉🐉🐉🐉🐉🐉
The things not in this book's favor:
* Eoran, tho starting to pull his head out of his ass, is still sooooooo obnoxious through the first 50%. I STILL give him 2.5 stars. See my highlights and notes
*Nye needs to DIE. Enuf said. And I blame that too on E, selfish player that he is
Weird that humans for once seem more reasonable than the elves. Usually elves are supposed to be composed and rational (thinking of Lord of the Rings). But OK.
It's picked up enough that I am willing to continue to Book 3. -
I received this book from the author in exchange of an honest review.
I still struggle with what happened in this book. It tore me apart and it's really hard to put all of that into words. I'm still mad at the author, at the story for demanding those awful things to happen to Lysander, to change him the way they did. My heart breaks for Eroan and the choices he had to make and for what the future holds for him. Both suffered horribly in this book and I just know that there's more pain and betrayal to come. I want to pick them up and shelter them. Give them the time and love they need to heal. But most of all I want to give them the space they need to be themselves. For they are persecuted for what they feel and who they love. And the thing is knowing this author I know not to even hope for a happy ending.
This is a trying book. It has r*** and psychological abuse. There's no way (apart from being totally emotionally dead) to read it without feeling like you've been gutted. The previous book, while ending on a darker note than this one, had a vague sense of hope. Iron & Fire ends with the light of the train hurdling down the railroad you're tied-up to. While I'm trying to write this review I get teary-eyed and I get that same feeling of a fist in my throat suffocating me. Thinking too long about it makes me want to curl up and cry for hours. And I know that the moment the final book comes out I will devour it just to find out what happens not only with Lysander and Eroan but also with Akiem, who captured my heart despite being a d*ckhead. The fate that was implied for him at the end is just as horrific as what Lysander suffered and unlike his brother he doesn't seem to have the mental flexibility to survive it. And now all that's left for me is to hope and count the days until the next release.
Pre-review
Ariana Nash I hate you! I hate you for tormenting my poor defenseless favorite characters. I hate you for making me feel bad for one of the bad guys. But most of all I hate you because that epilogue and knowing that I have months to wait until I can find out if those I've grown to love will even survive what you'll put them through! -
An elf and a dragon was an impossible thing
The dragons dismiss it as laughable and incomprehensible.
The elves see it as a betrayal of the worst kind. As a disgusting thing.
And yet …
“What is this thing between us?” Lysander keeps asking Eroan.
Because, for some reason, they keep saving each other, often from fates worse than death.
There is a deep conncetion between them neither man can ignore, despite knowing that even friendship between them is an abomination to everyone they know. How could they ever be together when their world is throwing one Himalaya-sized hurdle after the other at them?
Both men are pushed to their utter limits, in body and mind. It is more than painful to watch how they try to do the right thing again and again, and how prejudice and narrowmindedness, greed and jealously make their lives sheer hell and turn their best intentions into ashes.
I was totally captivated. This is epic, in so many ways.
I adore Lysander and Eroan. Both are deeply complex, flawed men who make mistakes and suffer from it, but ultimately, they are good men who want nothing else but a better world, but …
Change had to begin with trust. And that’s a huge obstacle, one that both men constantly fight with.
But not all of this is violence and brutality (although it does remind me a bit of GOT), I loved the touches of humour (Dragons purr! LOL), that scorching heat and those infinitely tender moments!
“What is this thing between us?” Lysander asked.
Eron rubbed his head and when he spoke, his voice rumbled through Lysander. “It is everything.”
Fabulous writing all the way!
I’m hooked and will swiftly move on to book 3! -
OUT NOW!
“You have to do something. He has no one else.” Seraph got to her feet and stared up at him, her mouth set in a firm, determined line. “You’re Eroan Ilanea. You’re the only one who can save him.”
I'm getting lots of questions which I'll try and answer here. If you have any more, do drop them in the comments below:
1, This the next book in the Silk & Steel series is due to be published in April. It will be in Kindle Unlimited.
2, Eroan identifies as bisexual. Lysander is gay. (This isn't explicitly said in book 1 but it is implied by their behavior).
3, There will be at least three books in the series.
4, If you're looking for gushy romance, this series isn't that but it features two strong male leads who overcome their terrible pasts and the expectations of others to find love.
5, This series is dark. There is noncon in this sequel (mm & mf), be warned. -
Oh man, this series. Why must you hurt me this way?
So this picks up right where the last (very cruelly) left us. I read this immediately after finishing the first one and yeah, couldn't stop. Seriously. This writing works wonderfully, with just enough of everything to keep me entirely hooked.
My god, how do I word what I think? Eroan comes across as a dick for the first half of the book, absolutely blinded by his desire to get the elves to victory. Every time he fucks up, it's Lysander that ends up paying the price and he doesn't seem to truly care. And then, in the second bit, Lysander abruptly makes a decision that changes everything and suddenly, every bit of anger I felt towards Eroan disappears because he is a pure ray of sunshine who didn't deserve any of this.
And it's so beautifully done.
And we see this ruthlessness, this urge to get it done and how Eroan doesn't know how to love and Lysander doesn't know how to be loved (That gift scene broke my heart) and how they're such an unlikely couple, using sex to avoid a conversation, constantly messing up and still, coming back together because this is how to win this war and this is so tragic and so hopeful at the same time. We see how Lysander's ability to not give a fuck helps him overcome everything and yet, it's Eroan's determination, his absolute confidence that he's right that saves him all the time.
And no one freaking listens to Lysander even though he is consistently right and come on, in ATLA, people listened to Zuko cause they realized he knows what he's talking about, Lysander just constantly suffers, for being a dragon, for not being a good dragon, for everything he is.
My one and only complaint is that this book throws in the idea that when a dragon shifts into a dragon, they're less human and process situations differently. That's weird and I don't like it. It's a weak way to create a plot twist, to make the reunion scene a little more sad and to me, it feels a dragon is a dragon, even when they wear a human skin.
This review is just me ranting but really, this is so good, I couldn't word why if I tried. I don't have the third book. This is a catastrophe. I must get the third book and ahh, this is so terrible.
Prediction Time (kinda spoilery if you haven't read the book):
- Nye the spy has a great ring to it. Maybe I'm too soft but yeah, I don't think his spying will last a long time. I'm thinking, he's going to chicken out and be killed but maybe be saved by Lysander (cause he's going to want to spite Mirann). Eroan won't want to save Nye.
- Akeim is going to become good, unexpectedly, and then die a shitty death.
- We're gonna learn about emeralds and Lysander's sister. My prediction is that these two are connected, that the reason why she was murdered is no mistake, she knew something.
- Dukol is going to finally fall and Lysander is going to start a new union with Eroan. Carline is going to end up being really kind to Lysander.
- Seraph deserves a good ending or I will end someone. If she dies, I'm going to kill a man. -
"You are a light in the darkness, a diamond in the rough. After everything you’ve been through, surviving your kin, you still smile. You’re kind, brave, and compassionate. I do not think I would be the same had I suffered as you have. I admire you. For that and things, prince. You are not broken. You are the strongest of us all.”
Necessary precautions while reading this
series-
1. Don't get too attached to any character, they are bound to suffer more than others.
2. Don't go expecting love and romance because as soon as you are feeling blissful, Ariana Nash will slap you with something nasty.
3. Don't dare to think of a villain as the worst, because someone else much worse can appear on the horizon at any moment.😿😿
The second instalment of the 'Silk and steel' had a much bleaker opening than book one. There is just no end to Lysander's suffering. The life of this dragon prince is filled with cycles of abuse. But, I was happy that in this apocalyptic world, where dragons kill humans and elves, humans kill dragons, elves kill the dragon and everyone tries to either kill or capture Lysander. He never loses his connection to humanity. He never gives up but then some tortures do leave their mark. Still, he was the survivor, a warrior and a saviour in a world filled with a power-hungry crowd.
But, thanks Alumn(oops!!! they are the God of elves, so they may not listen to me😔😔), But our kickass elf warrior,Eroan Ilanea continued his world-building by either fighting or trying to stop the war.
We get some precious moments of romance between Lysander and Eroan but the chaos around them is too much to let them be happy. And, just when I was pleased with the hopeful ending, the author stabbed me again in the epilogue.😩😩
Still, the surprise elements are the best part of the book, and the plot is filled with action. Plus I am hooked to the MCs and not to forget the writing is brilliant. So, I will keep on reading the series. 😇😇
Book 1- Silk and steel-4 star
Book 2-Iron and Fire - 4 star -
Despite all the heartfail *and there was MUCH heartfail, I mean damn* I ate this one up even faster than the first! How I love the way Eroan and Lysander fight for each other, even when they fight against the way they feel.
"What is this thing between us?"
The author was so wrong to drop that bomb on me on the last page though. Thank goodness the next book is waiting for me! *dustcloud* -
OMG!!! 😱😱😱😱 THIS SERIES!! 👏❤️❤️
Just when I think my limits have been pushed as far as they will go, Nash makes me punch through that wall! 😱👏👏👏
This second book in the Iron & Fire series picks up about a month after we last saw our flawed heroes. Spoiler Alert from 1st book!!! Lysander is captive in the French camp headed by Chloe. Eroan has been teaching the elven camp of Cheen how to make dragon-lethal weapons. Both men believe the other dead.
To say that both heroes are thriving is soooo wrong. But, when compared to the rest of the book that awaits you, eager reader, the beginning of this book is a honeymoon!!
I won’t spoil the squirms, flinches, and gasps for you, but I will say that Lysander finds out that captivity comes in different forms 😱😱😱! And Eroan discovers that being a true elf is more difficult than he believed.
Unlike the first book, you do get a reward for your hard earned survival through the brutal scenes that Nash puts our heroes in: you get an HFN respite. How they get there is almost unthinkable, but get there they do. Unfortunately, Nash gives us a taste of what’s to come in a bitter-tasting epilogue that reminds us of forgotten players in the game!!!
Warnings: non-con, dub-con, rape, torture, abuse, captivity, grizzly deaths, drug use, reference to past incest.
My rec? Yessssssss!!!! Who said dragons were cute and fluffy, and elves magical beings? 🔥🔥 -
+3
“Dont let them beat you. Live, Lysander. Live, for me. ”
Segunda parte de esta trilogía. Tengo que admitir que esta señora sabe hacer que te enganches a la historia y siento que ha estado mejor que la primera novela. Ahora, desde un punto de vista argumental ha habido algunas cosas que no me han gustado y me han parecido bastante innecesarias, solo han servido para añadir más toxicidad al asunto. Al menos esa es mi opinión al respecto. Sin embargo, en general estoy bastante contenta con el resultado.
“Why do you keep saving me? ” -
The second episode is much like the first. In fact I could copy and paste my review from the first book. Lots of excitement but not very romance driven although they do seem more devoted this time. Like the last book, there is rape/dubcon (more actually) both m/m and m/f that is not between the MC's. The MC's, when they are in the same geographical area, almost always get interrupted when they start getting it on and since I'm so conditioned now for something to interrupt them, by the time they actually do get all the way to it, I was waiting for the other shoe to drop and didn't really get to slide in and enjoy their, yet again, brief connection.
It's still good storytelling and I'm looking forward to the next one. -
My name is Eroan Ilanea.” He flexed his grip on the sword, swallowed the ash-coated choking knot in his throat and narrowed his eyes. “And that emerald dragon is mine.”
Eroan said "I don’t know how I feel about him.” “You don’t?” She snorted. “Typical. Eroan Ilanea. Can’t see what’s right in front of him.”
He adjusted Lysander’s weight between him and Seraph and continued on. Together with the Order assassins, they carried Lysander to safety. -
“Until it is done.”
I can't seem to put these books down. Husband? What husband? Sleep? Um.... The pace has picked up and my poor heart is ready to give out! Seriously, I wasn't sure, for a while there, if I could take it. Iron & Fire is so much darker than
Silk & Steel was and the angst was intense. Definitely pay attention to the trigger warnings."If you want to trust me, you must trust all of me. I am dragon, that’s never going to change."
As I mentioned in my last review, Eroan and Lysander were separated for the latter half of that book, and that continues a good while into this one. My heart broke for Lysander when Eroan found him, nearly broken, but he's a strong dragon. Stronger than he knows. And Eroan, once filled with rage, finds compassion for one he's been trained to kill. They're a very unlikely pair. Star-crossed lovers, and all that.
“Could you ever love a broken thing like me?”
Their association, much less love, is very much forbidden, and though Eroan tries so hard to convince his fellow elves that Lysander is different, and willing to help them, the rest aren't so easily convinced. It's hard to trust the future when the past has been so bloody. Eroan only has one ally, when it comes to Lysander, and Seraph is fierce in her defense of the dragon that saved her life. Still, the others do not trust and they make some disastrous decisions because of it.
The ending was even more intense than
Silk & Steel's was, and I again find myself ever grateful that the conclusion is already out. Thank Alumn.“Why do you keep saving me?”
“Because…” he said, “in the one place I expected to die, you gave me a reason to live.”
“What reason?”
“You.”
Iron & Fire was riveting. -
With the last installment I was frustrated, with this one I was irritated, so this is gonna be long. 😤🥲
Reason one, there were a lot of injustices that happened against the main leads, I understand that this world the authors created it's a bad and cruel one, but our boys didn't win, in any occasion, they didn't win even when it seemed they should and that almost made my gastrointestinal problem arise again.
Reason two, Eroan 😁... He had a hero complex that made me want to smack his head with something hard!! His "guilt" made him do everything himself but at the end, he didn't think other people could do what he could and that made me angry as hell. Also, he didn't really know what he was doing, he lacked information and made mistakes. In the first book that aspect was less explored, in here it was overused.
Reason three, it kept happening, the repetitive change of scenary, the back and forth, the I rescue you and then somebody else kidnaps you. I mean the characters don't get a reprieve, so the readers don't have one either and it's exhausting and too much.
Reason four, WHY IN THE NAME OF ALUMN DID LYSANDER GET KIDNAPPED AND TOSSED AROUND SO MUCH?!! He's supposed to be a powerful dragon and also an amazing fighter, but when people come at him he can't deal!! Yes the other dragons are old and wise but you are more than that my dear prince. 😫😫
Reason five, or as Lyssander said: "Why did nobody listen to him?"... It was frustrating as hell! He was a dragon and dragons are not to be trusted and blablabla, but if you are a commander you at least consider it, because it could be TRUE.
Reason six, what the hell is wrong with that girl Mirann? She has issues and all the rape 😐.
Reason seven, the love was going slowly but strongly and then they fuck and Lysander acts like a bitch, say whut? This book is a clusterfuck already, it didn't need that, it needed something solid and that could have been it. 😤🤦🏻♀️
So why the 4 stars? Because this story is presented as a clusterfuck, that's what readers can expect and in that it delivered, there were things that could be done differently with more logic, but it was interesting, the characters lovely as ever, Seraph I love you girl *wink wink* and I felt the love even with the one step forward to steps back kind of situations. I love and hate this with no shame at all. 🤷🏻♀️❤ -
4.5*
I downloaded this as soon as I’d finished Silk & Steel. But I delayed starting simply because I needed a break from Lysander’s suffering and self sacrifice. And suffer he does. It’s a difficult read in places. Who am I kidding most of is difficult to read. And Eroan in the first half of the book was just as righteous and obnoxious as before. Thankfully I liked him more at the end than the beginning.
It may be difficult but it’s addictive reading.
So it’s straight onto Blood & Ice now. -
Another brilliant installment!
This one was even darker than the first with a lot of violence and abuse, especially towards Lysander. He really could not catch a break in this book.
However, that is where I feel the brilliance of this story shone...in that, even amongst all the dying, abuse and pain, the author still managed to weave a tale of two hearts who yearned for each other, and fought tooth and nail to get together. This contained more "feels" than the first book but as usual those came along with a shipload of angst to shore it up.
I enjoyed reading every second of it(including the times I literally had to pause and steel myself as all the bad things were being done to Lysander). Also, there are some revelations that would blow your mind. You would NOT see it coming. I was part terrified, part confused and part excited when it was revealed. It also left me with a lot of questions which hopefully would be addressed in the next and final book.
I'm off to book #3 where I hope we FINALLY get to know what being an Emerald means for Lysander and why everybody and their evil grandmother wants a piece of him. O and damn you to that Elven traitor! What a sore loser. Ugh.
