Grace Draven

Sequel to RADIANCE and Book #2 in the Wraith Kings series. In a bid for more power, the Shadow Queen of Haradis unleashes a malignant force into the world. Her son Brishen, younger prince of the Kai royal house, suddenly finds himself ruler of a kingdom blighted by a diseased darkness. His human wife Ildiko must decide if she will give up the man she loves in order to save his throne. Three kingdoms on the verge of war must unite to save each other, and a reluctant one-eyed king will raise an army of the dead to challenge an army of the damned. A tale of alliance and sacrifice.

A Novel

Eidolon

Hill

Don’t care so much for all the fighting in this one but it’s still such a good book. 

Monserrat Navarro 

I think my enjoyment of this book was hindered by how much I loved the first one. Still an enjoyable story but the banter/ romance wasn’t the same. Brishen is still a perfect book husband and they are so good together. Such an interesting world. 

Megan BV

Jasmine

Loved it!!! So much I didn't see coming and I wish this was longer!!

Lover of Romance 

This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance
  

 
  
    Summary 
  
 
Brishen and Ildiko have found a beautiful love in the midst of an arranged marriage. Both lower casts of their families, they united in a way no one could have foreseen. Its been a year of passion, adventure and finding joy with each other. But that is all about to come crashing down upon them with Brishen's mother's latest schemes. The shadow queen of Haradis, through a bid for more power unleashes the worst enemy upon their world. Demons who crave blood and magic and nothing can stop them. The demons are destroying everything in their path....every man, woman and child. The royal family is slaughtered all except for Brishen. When he learns of the destruction, and that his home and his marriage is about to be threatened, he will do everything in his power to keep everyone he loves safe. Brishen will need to make alliances with the other two kingdoms, and there will be four of them that will need to become Wraith Kings, the only ones that will have the kind of power to force the hord of demons back to their realm and close the opening between their worlds. But Ildiko might have to make a difficult decision that could cost her the love of her life forever.....Will Brishen and Ildiko be able to defeat this evil enemy and find a way back to each other for good?
 
  
    Plot and Story Line 
  
 
In Book one we saw the chemistry, and the slow burn romance that developed between Brishen and Ildiko. A arranged marriage to bring together an alliance. In Book two we see this pair and how their love is tested in brutal ways almost. First off, Brishen's whole family has been killed and he is the King now of the Kai. Which adds a certain dilemma for Brishen and Ildiko. The kai would never fully accept Ildiko as their queen, she is human and unable to have children with a Kai. Ildiko knows the risks, and she knows what would be good for Brishen in the long run, and is willing to give him up if necessary. However Brishen (man do I love this hero) he refuses to give her up.

  
    
      
        "Privilege," she said gently, "gives the crown its shine. Duty give it its weight. It's because you are no king that you can't do as you wish. The person you are - honorable, brave - will do what's required."

"I'll abdicate."

Her knees buckled at this declaration, and this time her fingers dug into his forearm. "Oh my gods, Brishen. You can't abdicate! You'll plunge this country into civil war."

He snatched her to him, and her feet cleared the floor for a second time. "I will not give you up," he vowed between clenched teeth. "I will suffer the ritual, gladly. Let it rip me apart and put me back together again. I will rob my people of their magic and fight the galla. I will not renounce my wife." He shook against her, burying his face in her neck. "Don't leave me, Ildiko," he implored. "The burden is only bearable because you're here."
      
    
  

Yep....he rocks!! He doesn't let what other think or feel stand in the way of the woman he refuses to let go of just because she can't bear his children. He is content to have her and only her. And Ildiko hurts him in the process of all this, which was quite heartbreaking at times. Because in the midst of all that they have to face, these two need to work through their differences, because they have no idea if their plan will be successful or not. Now the story gets really intense when Brishen and the three other men become "wraith kings" what a unique twist this is!! And what a teaser the author gives us in the end here. The story we are given here with Eidolon is simply fantastic, and I have so much love for this story. I love Brishen and Ildiko, their relationship is so strong and has a cozy feel to it with some powerful chemistry between them. I love seeing their relationship become even stronger and grow!!  We get to see some great chemistry between Anhoset (Brishen's cousin) and Severin---now these two are explosive. And I am excited to see what Draven does with them in book 3!
 
  
    The Cover 
  
 
WHAT A cover!! Just as beautiful as the first book. I love the pose here, almost as if they are breathing each other in. A perfect representation of this amazing couple.
 
  Overall View 
 
Eidolon is a story that is vibrant and real and keeps the reader fascinated from beginning to end!! It has a charm to the romance, adrenalin surge to the action and a action packed adventure of a ride you don't want to miss your ticket on!!! INTOXICATING!!

  
    
      “I would have been content to live my life as just Brishen,” he whispered into her hair.  “Who was loved by Ildiko.”
    
  


  

 
  Click On Cover For Buy Link 
 
 

[foogallery id="22604"]

Actual rating: ★★★

Edit:
The more I think about it, the more I'm disappointed. The first book was amazing. Not plot wise, but I loved their relationship. Until it got sexual. 

Original review:

“I will never give you up, I will suffer the ritual, gladly. Let it rip me apart and put me back together again. I will rob my people of their magic and fight the galla. I will not renounce my wife.

Don't leave me, Ildiko. The burden is only bearable because you're here." 

When they weren't banging and being corny/horny I liked them. Although I did feel icky about the part where Ildiko refuses to have sex with Brishen because she felt like he was (subconsciously, hopelessly because a human can't have a child with Kai) trying to get her pregnant. Brishen then gets mad at her because she “accused him of using her as a breeding mare” or something like that. With that being said, I preferred it in the first book, when they weren't madly in love with each other. When they were just platonically fond of each other, playfully insulting and teasing each other, not banging every two chapters.

Also, while we're on the topic of banging, I don't quite understand. Does Brishen find Ildiko unattractive, but is still sexually attracted to her? Leave it to the ace person to rack their brain about sexual attraction 😂. 

The separate plotline surrounding Kirgipa, Necos, and some other woman whose name I forgot and am too lazy to find, traveling to Seggard with the infant queen was unnecessary. The tension between Ildiko and Brishen regarding heirs isn't impactful because we already know he's not the last of his line. The first thing to happen in the book in the very prologue is Kirgipa fleeing with the baby. In general, the plot is a bit underwhelming despite being so dramatic.

**Sequel to RADIANCE and Book #2 in the Wraith Kings series** In a bid for more power, the Shadow Queen of Haradis unleashes a malignant force into the world. Her son Brishen, younger prince of the Kai royal house, suddenly finds himself ruler of a kingdom blighted by a diseased darkness. His human wife Ildiko must decide if she will give up the man she loves in order to save his throne. Three kingdoms on the verge of war must unite to save each other, and a one-eyed, reluctant king will raise an army of the dead to challenge an army of the damned. A tale of alliance and sacrifice.

Kelly Casey

This was a completely different type of read than the first book in the series. Radiance was character driven, and had very little plot. Eidolon was incredibly plot heavy by comparison. It took me longer to read this one, and I was struggling to get into it as much as the first because there wasn't that same emphasis on the characters. However, I still loved the book. The plot was intense and there was just enough romance that I still loved it. I'm not sure where this series is going because there was such a disconnect between the first two books, but I'm excited to continue. I also am really hoping for more of Kirgipa and Necos as well as Anhuset and Serovek.

Michelle Xu

3.5 stars.

I love the love that Brishen and Ildiko had for each other but some pacing issues and focus away from their romance brought the rating a bit lower for me. It was definitely all around much darker than the first in the series. I'm still looking forward to reading the next book though because I'm already invested in Serovek and Anhuset's relationship!

Full review to come

Carmen Hew

what the f- HOW IS IT THAT I'M FALLING MORE FOR THIS SERIES THAN EVER?? i am so in love w brishen and ildiko and also ildiko's rs with anhuset in this was soooo cuuuute. i think i'll need two weeks to digest this.

Jawahir M

Description summary : A great sequel with compelling characters, the same steamy romance, and a well written adventure. 

Score: 4/5 

Who knew that this romance novel could be such an exciting fantasy adventure too!?

I really appreciate Draven creating a strong adventure novel in addition to the romance. I thought I'd find the romance focus being diluted would make this book lose its essence in a way. But all of the obstacles and evils that Ildiko and Brishen faced actually turned their attraction into true love. 

As a hopeless romantic I approve wholeheartedly. The only loss in rating is how fast the book wrapped up and ended things, especially the last two chapters.

What I need now is a spinoff novel on Necos and Kigripa.

 Do I recommend? It's a great continuation to the sequel so yes!

Heather

Ahh the feelings !! There is something about giving your life to protect the innocent and weakest that always gets me the feels in the gut. #NecosKirgipa

 We follow the misadventure of Ildiko and Brichen as Secmis unleashes a horde of demons and thus wipe the entire royal family and part of Kai nation. 
Brighten must wear the crown and the heavy weight of duty that come with it. Only by giving up everything he holds dear, will he have a fighting change to save his people. 

Nice a fast read, albeit the predictability. 

Ildiko and Brichen are as much sweethearts and amazing together as in the first book. Together, they face threats towards the Kai nation and their own relationship. 

My main complaint would be how predictive the plot is so early on. I could guessed the ending within the first 20 pages. 

 Overall: nah for guessing the plot line; yay Ildiko-Brichen (goal couple tbh <3 ).

Niaomi

If you've read the previous book you'll really enjoy how this book wraps up the stories. Apparently there will be another and I can't wait to see what happens in this world.

lilreaderSakura

I loved the second book in this series and I hope to see more as we continue to see the story unfold between these too. The ending was perfect and I like the plot and how the story didn't move too quickly and yet not too slow as well a nice pace throughout the book.

Eidolon A Novel

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