THE WRATH
Series: Rise of the Warlords #4
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Author: Gena Showalter
Release Date: February 6, 2024
New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter returns with a new book in the tantalizing Rise of the Warlords series, featuring a brutal Hell king and the irresistible beauty who upends his world.
For centuries, Rathbone the Only, King of Agonies, has existed for one recovering the enchanted bones of his slain wife to bring her back to life. He’s never been closer to success. But a new enemy has risen. A band of deadly war gods who have thirty days to destroy her or suffer the consequences. With time running out, Rathbone hires a maddening harpy-oracle, unaware she has an agenda of her own.
Neeka the Unwanted is a fierce warrior on a stop Rathbone and the gods. She’s seen the future if either is victorious, and it’s horrifying. She’ll do whatever proves necessary to forge a new path, even seduce the ruthless royal from his purpose. What she can’t predict? How the intense male will shatter her hard-won defenses along the way.
As Rathbone battles unexpected betrayals, cunning foes and the wild temptress he craves with every fiber of his being, he knows he must hold on to a cold dream or embrace a new flame.
Rise of the Warlords
Book 1: The Warlord
Book 2: The Immortal
Book 3: The Phantom
Book 4: The Wrath
You are a very, very dangerous female. But worth every wound.”
I swear, this series just gets better and better with each new installment. And this one is my favorite in the series so far. The King of Agonies delivered HARD and with a tatted surprise. Yes. Exactly the kind you’re thinking. Mmm hmm. But I digress.
As a self professed Gena Showalter addict, and having read her entire backlist, I still get giddy with each new release she has. And The Wrath was certainly no exception. There’s just something about this world of warlords and gods that just does it for me. And while this is a standalone in a series, you definitely want to read it in order for maximum enjoyment.
One of my favorite things about Showalters books is her witty banter and fiery sassy heroines. And boy oh boy did I love Neeka. Neeka the Unwanted is a harpy oracle and bestie of Harpy general Taliyah from The Warlord. So when Neeka seemingly turns side to work with the enemy, she has a dang good reason for it. And the reason also happens to be tall, dark, tatted and oh so dangerous.
Rathbone, King of Agonies is a god. No, like literally. And look, my obsession with this book may not have something to do with him also being Hades’s nephew. And I swear to you if I was rabid for Hades’s book before, I’m near feral for it now. But I digress again.
Rathbone is on a mission to recover the enchanted bones of his slain wife to bring her back to life. But his plan has a small complication. Because The Astra have a new mission, and it’s to revive his dead wife only so they can kill her. And the Astra assigned to the mission is none other than Azar, The Memory Keeper. A love triangle? Not quite.
When a vision puts Neeka in the center of Rathbone’s mission, they form an unwilling alliance but to different ends. Because while Rathbone thinks she’ll help him to revive his wife, Neeka’s vision foreshadows something much darker. And she’s determined to stop it.
When I tell you the chemistry between these two is instant and fiery, I mean I couldn’t get enough of them. And the slow burn romance only added to the nail biting wait of when they’ll finally give in. And oh my GAWD. I was turning the pages with eager glee, completely enraptured in this world and this story. The banter between Rath and Neeka was everything. And I lived for every new nickname Neeka came up with for the god. The tension, the action, the chemistry, all of it flawlessly weaved together to make one simply unputdownable read. And now here I sit, both happy because I loved it so much, but also completely devastated knowing I have to wait for the next book after the tease we get at the end. GAWD. What am I even going to do with myself until the next installment?! *cries in fan girlish anticipation*