More like Once My Heart Beat Returns to Normal because Matthias and Calla have it RACING.

Once the Skies Fade, book 2 in the Immortal Reveries series, is a wonderful follow up to Until the Stars Fall.

If you've read book one, you'll find that the world expands to a neighboring kingdom and we see some familiar faces. However, this story is darker, riddled with shadows and mystery and death, and the heat and tension between our MCs certainly rise to the occasion.

I thought I'd prepared myself for a wild little fantasy ride, but I was swiftly blown away with the action, the simmering passion, and the secrets.

Calla is our morally grey shadow-wielding Queen. She's hurting, she's fierce, she's morally grey, and she's just a bit scary... but we love her. And Matthias... Mr. Orelian... The mouth and sass on this man is unmatched. I liked him a lot in book one, but in book two he stole my heart and ran away into the forest with it. I don't want it back.

Please pick this up if you're in the mood for:
- an interconnected standalone series (I mean it, this CAN be read as a standalone AND it even includes a brief summary, a cheeky one at that, of book 1 in the beginning so you don't miss out on any key details)
- a shadow mommy
- best friendships worth k!lling for
- a fantasy world that won't overwhelm you
- short chapters, multi-POV, and a fast paced plot

**Thank you so much to Crab Apple Books and Vanessa Rasanen for a copy of Once the Skies Fade and the opportunity to leave my honest, voluntary review! All thoughts and opinions are my own <3**

So, I'm the kind of crazy person that chooses to read this book before reading Until The Stars Fall but I do not regret my decision in the slightest. Have I spoilered myself, more than likely but I'm still going to go back and read Until The Stars Fall now knowing how amazing Vanessa's writing is and how incredible the world and characters are that she has created. Once The Skies Fade is set in the same war-torn world as book one in the series but focuses on characters Calla and Matthias. If you're looking for a book that packs one heck of an emotional punch with a guaranteed HEA featuring a shadow mommy FMC, and sarcastic cinnamon roll MMC who has to compete in deadly trials to become the next king while also solving a murder mystery then this book is a must read.

This book gets going straight away and wastes no time introducing us to the characters and providing us with an insight into their lives and personalities. However, despite initially following the more mundane aspects of our main characters lives, chaos soon ensues when Calla's husband is murdered and she becomes the prime suspect. With secrets unable to be shared and with Calla unable to protest her innocence she is forced to bend to the will of her kingdom and find another husband. Broken hearted and not wanting to experience this again Calla removes herself from having to decide who will next rule her kingdom by her side, and instead decides to host a traditional and potentially deadly tournament to choose the next King. With suspicions high, General Matthias is sent to enter this tournament and determine if Calla did actually kill her latest husband. We then weave our way through deadly trials, as these two try to fight the growing attraction between them that neither can explain. However, with political machinations at every turn and questions still surrounding the precious King's murder will these two realise what they are to eachother in time to save those they love?

I feel like with a character like Calla, Vanessa's is fully able to explore that grief looks different for everyone, and that this can take many forms and takes time to come out the other side. Having chapters from Calla's POV we get to understand how she worries about not appearing to grieving in the expected manner and how this only raises suspicion around her. Calla's character development in this story is huge, she has experienced massive loss at the start of the book and is so strong to come out the other side. Having a Morally Grey shadow mommy was such a refreshing change from other books and definitely brought an aspect to the story that I was incredibly excited about. Matthias is cheeky and full of snarky banter, and I love him for it. When he calls Calla "Killer" it makes me weak at the knees! He brings Calla out of her shell, and sees her for who she truly is and reading as they form a connection is beautiful.

The concept of the trials within the story alongside the political intrigue definitely ups the stakes and makes it hard to put this book down. Alongside this, the mystery aspect of who killed the previous King kept me on my toes, I'm pleased to say I had an inkling before the big reveal but still had a healthy amount of pleasant surprise. The pacing of the book was balanced beautifully allowing us to explore scenes and locations without rushing, whilst also getting the point and being full of action. With the little Easter eggs we had throughout this book I am so excited to read book three in this series already!

Book 2 in the captivating Immortal Reveries interconnected standalone series delivers a spellbinding fantasy romance! Meet Lyra, a morally grey shadow mama entangled in the web of her husband's mysterious death—making her the prime suspect. To secure her throne, she faces the daunting choice of marriage, all while vowing to protect her heart from further loss. This tale brims with political intrigue, profound grief, and tension.

What’s truly refreshing is witnessing Lyra as the morally complex protagonist, with Matthias, her swoon-worthy MMC, completely devoted to her. As Lyra navigates the heavy burden of losing her parents and husband within mere months, my heart ached for her. The portrayal of her anger and emotional defenses was handled with such depth. Matthias shines with empathy, bringing out the best in Lyra. The banter and tension between them is simply perfection! Their gradual unveiling of emotional walls is beautiful.... And when the spice kicks in? Pure deliciousness! Let's just say Lyra begins to embrace her shadows in delightful ways.

As a sequel, this installment is nothing short of exceptional! I loved the enticing glimpses of Connor and Lieke, I cannot was for the couple of this series!

Amazing!!! I love Vanessa's storytelling so much and this was just as exceptional as the first one, and I absolutely loved every page of it! Obviously this can be read as a standalone but reading after having read until the stars fall made the experience so much more enjoyable in my opinion. Mathias and his witty nature and quickness it everything and um Calla is total bada$$ FMC, was not expecting that. The trials and competitions in this one kept me on the edge of my seat and intrigued. I just loved this book so much

Elsa but if she had shadows instead of ice.

Love, love, loved this book. You know how sometimes the second book in a series isn't as good as the first, well this one blows the first book out of the water. Absolutely loved Matthias since Until the Stars Fall so I was very excited to read this book to see more of his fun side.

As fun and witty as Matthias is, this book is definitely on the darker side with more grief, death and torture but isn't that every good fantasy book, but caution is advised if these topics make you uncomfy. Calla, who we met briefly in book 1 is our leading lady for this book and I love her. She has a lot of grief to process in this book, which lead to her making some rash decisions, but ultimately she does it for good reason. She is a badass FMC, even though she was processing all of this grief and I love that about her but I also loved how she and Matthias were able to be there for each other on their healing journeys.

In love with this series, can't wait to read the next book.

Once the Skies Fade is the fast-paced and action-packed sequel to Until the Stars Fall. As part of the interconnected series but can be read as a standalone, this book focuses on Queen Calla, from the neighboring kingdom of Arenysen, the same very kingdom that Emeryn was attempting to secure an alliance with in the first book. Following the deaths of her family, Queen Calla must select a new husband in order to continue ruling her kingdom, however, she is not going to do so without putting up a fight.

This book is a total 180 from the first one. I was immediately hooked and engaged with the plot and before long, I was multiple chapters in the book. I really enjoyed the pacing and struggles/character development that went through this story. Though I expected political intrigue, nothing could have prepared me for the twists that appeared throughout the story. One thing I do really appreciate and love is the portrayal and acknowledgement that grief presents itself very differently in each individual. Calla's story, as well as the one of those around her, is so beautiful in how she struggles to handle it but is also able to overcome it.

I don't think there's anything much that I didn't enjoy but be prepared that this one tale has a bit more violence and grief than I had initially expected. At the same time, Rasanen does a really good job of maintaining a pace that goes along with all the action in the story, and it took me by surprise. I'm really glad I was given the opportunity to read this.

Thank you to NetGalley and Vanessa Rasanen for gifting me the opportunity to read this ARC! All opinions are my own.

I enjoy books with tournaments, something about the heavy suspense and constant motion. It is fun seeing all the characters battling for one but there is always that one that sticks out.

The switch of roles from shadow daddy to shadow mommy was also refreshing. I loved how Calla never tried to cover up her darkness and made choices she wanted to. Vanessa killed it with the twist in this romantasy.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book. A gorgeous 3 star read book from me. What an exciting plot, vivid storytelling and relatable, rich characters. I couldn't put this book down – absolutely loved it.

Once the Skies Fade was recommended to me from a stranger on FB and I loved that they did. It's hard to jump into every recommendation but this was exactly what I needed. It's a fresh take on some of the more popular tropes. There are trials but the men are the ones fighting it out for her hand. She's the morally gray one with shadows. I mean there's just so much to love about this story. The writing pulled me in from the first page and I stayed glued to every word. It's so well-done. I hadn't read the first one but now I will. They're interconnected standalones. This author is going on my "must read everything they have ever written and will ever write" list. Vanessa Rasanen -- just practicing for the thousands of times I'm getting ready to say her name. This is a must-read for romantasy fans.

The romance was sweet and the spice was steamy and hot. I loved the MMC. He had such a fun and interesting personality. Such a sweetheart. The plot was simple but effective and a bit dark and heavy- which I LOVE.

If you're up for an emotional ride with healing and love, jump on this.

“...You’re scared of her.”...“And you fucking should be.”

🩷 Book Review 🩷
📚 Once the Skies Fade
✒️ Vanessa Rasanen
🗓 13th March 2025
💫💫💫💫

Thank you @netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I could not turn the pages fast enough. After her husbands sudden death, Queen Calla has one simple task; remarry or lose the throne. Okay, firstly Queen Calla is a SHADOW QUEEN and I was all in from that moment. She was dark, brutal and just a touch insane but she absolutely owned it.

The interaction between Calla and Matthias is so good! They are so stubborn but you can see them slowly open up to each other and become the worse thing possible; vulnerable.

The HEA was beautiful as well, it was all just perfectly tied up that I cannot complain.

This book is a part of an interconnected series and I did not read book one first (whoops) but I had no issues reading this.

Once the Skies Fade by Vanessa Rasanen is such an addictive fantasy romance that had me completely hooked! It’s got magic, political drama, and just the right amount of slow-burn tension between the leads. Calla is a fierce queen with secrets, and Matthias is the sarcastic, broody general caught in a deadly tournament for her hand—talk about drama! Their banter is everything, and the chemistry? So good.

I also loved how the book handled grief—it felt really raw and real, making the emotional moments hit even harder. The world-building is rich without being overwhelming, and the fated mates/slow-burn romance had me swooning. If you love fantasy with strong heroines, broody love interests, and plenty of tension, you need this book in your life!

Once the Skies Fade (Immortal Reveries #2) by Vanessa Rasanen

The law is clear: remarry or lose the throne.
But it says nothing about love.

Rating: ****
Feels: Amusement, Shock, Anticipation, Heat
Style: Fantasy, Romantasy, Magic, Fae, Fantasy Romance
First published March 14, 2025: 642 pages, Kindle / Audio Book

I adored Matthias in book one so was pleased we got to see more of him, so so much more and wow. He did not disappoint. Calla, wow girl. She brought her game and found myself a new shadow mommy. If you thought you loved shadow daddies wait until you meet Calla and see what she can do *swoons*. Oh wait yes back to Matthias, who did not want any of this but because he is the kind of guy he is he just wins us all over. The reluctant hero is a storyline I so love and then combine it with a deadly, hurting (while we are kinda hurting to be honest) shadow QUEEN !! well this was just one recipe I loved. This author really knows how to tell a story.

This book has:
Shadow Mommy (YES !!!)
Enemies to Lovers
Marriage Trials
Touch her/him and die
Fae Courts
Fae vrs Humans
Politics
Magic

Thank you so much to Vanessa Rasanen, NetGalley, and Crab Apple Books for having me review this book. All thoughts are my own.

✨ ARC Book Review ✨

Once the Skies Fade by Vanessa Rasanen

STAR RATING: 5/5⭐️

REVIEW:
Oh how heavy grief is. Vanessa did an absolutely beautiful job at portraying just how painful grief is and how unusual society views such a natural thing. Even in a world where fae are immortal, their grief should be allowed and processed. To be forced into something you aren’t ready for can also show how crazy life is. These characters were so wonderful. I loved this story so much. How wonderful!

Shane East could get me to read nearly anything, honestly. Zura Johnson is new to me and delivered a phenomenal performance.

This is my first Vanessa Rasanen book and I am glad it was a stand alone I could jump right into.

Tropes: Fated Mates |Feminine Rage| Touch him & die

There is so much love and loss throughout this book. We get a story of grief, political intrigue, a morally gray female, and some great banter.

The second book in the Immortal Reveries series, Once the Skies Fade is a fantasy romance full of tension, political intrigue, a compelling murder mystery, and an amazing love story!

Calla is a recently widowed queen still grieving the loss of her husband when the law demands she find a new one. Refusing to marry for love, she sets up a tournament to choose for her, which is a perfect excuse for Matthias to arrive. An ally of her late husband’s family, Matthias enters the competition, intent on learning if Calla had anything to do with her husband's death.

I loved Calla and Matthias and their super swoon-worthy romance. Calla is a brooding, morally grey queen with literal shadow powers who is dealing with grief and loss while still trying to run her country. She goes through a lot emotionally, and her healing journey made me sympathize with her even when she did some really unlikable things. Matthias is a sarcastic yet charming general who somehow manages to get under Calla's skin at every turn. He's a strong, loyal warrior, and some of my favorite chapters were from his POV. Matthias and Calla's banter was so good, and I liked the push-and-pull between them. You could feel the tension building between them as they both struggled with and fought their feelings.

The mix of romance, mystery, and political intrigue worked so well. The trials were great - suspenseful, unique, and intense, and a good blend of strength and strategy. With someone clearly working against Calla, the stakes were high from the start of the book, and the mystery surrounding her husband’s death had me second-guessing everyone. There are some good twists, and I loved how all the layers of deception and betrayal slowly unraveled.

This is the second book in an interconnected series, and it can easily be read as a standalone. That being said, I think reading the first book would add more depth to some of the side characters, and I loved seeing some of my faves from the first book. Thanks to NetGalley and Crab Apple Books for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.

I am familiar with Vanessa Rasanens writing, and was very eager to dive into this book!
At first, I wasnt sure how I was going to like the story. The FMC, Calla, has gone through some significant loss and is clearly struggling. With this grief she makes some, well.... really poor choices. That really made it hard to like her as the FMC.
However, Matthias more then made up for that. It was great seeing her slowly heal through their interactions, and learn her way back to a sense of humanity.
In generally, I love the imagery Vanessa creates in her writing. She is very eloquent and paints vivid and beautiful scenes in her book. I loved this book and was surprised by the conflict towards the end! It definitely kept me engaged and reading to the very end!

Once the Skies Fade was a good sequel standalone but I did not like it as much as Until the Stars Fall. I definitely do not care for vampire books and did not expect them to be introduced in this series. I can tell they will be incorporated more as the series goes along. I also did not know how I felt about the relationship in this one unlike in book 1. I know it is always hard to compare but I couldn’t help it. I did enjoy the book a lot but just didn’t love it as much as the first which took inspiration from one of my favorite movies Sabrina. I kind of wish they all were inspired from different romance movies.

Spoiler FREE
Firstly thank you so much Vanessa for allowing me ARC read this series for you!
Interconnected standalone

Slow to get into, but once Matthias makes it to the tournament it really heats up!
Just as in history tournaments were held to find a suitor to rule the kingdom. This book has it 👀
12 men 4 trials 3 mythical creatures 2 mates 1 kidnapping, an enchanted forest and Nightwalkers (aka vampires).
Reverse leads - MFC is a badass shadow mumma and the mmc is the warrior, General Matthias. Betrayal, murder, plot twists, magic, adventure and plenty, plenty of action.

This book was a great read, just not as great as book 1. I’m very very excited for book 3!!
Star dating: 3.75 ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Spice rating: 🌶️ 🌶️- there is a reference in the book for these chapters if people want to avoid.

I would have liked to have seen Connor come to help Calla at the point in the book after the 3rd trial but iykyk

This fantasy romance sucked me in so fast! If you’ve read Until the Stars Fall, you’ll recognize the main characters, but if not—no worries, this totally works as a standalone.

The story kicks off with heartbreak and suspicion, and I was immediately very concerned about how things would go from there, but I shouldn’t have worried. She knows what she’s doing. I love when an author doesn’t take the easy route and keeps you guessing!

So here’s the deal: the queen has to remarry or lose her throne. Since she loved her late husband and doesn’t want to get her heart broken again, she sets up a series of trials to pick her next king. But her husband’s family need to be convinced that she didn’t have anything to do with his death. So they send their general, a sarcastic male, too charming for his own good, and way too good at getting under her skin, to compete and do a bit of investigating.

The banter and tension is sooooo good! She’s a broody, shadow-wielding queen, and he’s that annoyingly likable guy who somehow charms everyone while still pushing people’s buttons. I love that neither of them wants to believe in fated mates or fall in love, but you just know fate has other plans. I felt the evolution of grief that the queen went through, and the natural progression of the relationship. This story was full of feeling!

Also, let’s talk about the murder mystery because I love it as a subplot. Twists, betrayals, political scheming—it’s all so well done. We were introduced to various characters along the way and I think it was written in a way that we immediately got a sense of who they were. That’s also a cool thing about the interconnected series. Each book will build for the next book but you’ll be intimately familiar with characters that just pop up in one book because they already had a full story. I have guesses as to who the next few books will be about!

If you love romance, trials that test more than just strength, and a queen who is not here for your nonsense and knows how to creatively use her shadows, then you need this book.

I love when a book has a humorous summary of the previous book read by one of the characters.
I was hooked from the first book and having a major character die at the start of this book was absolutely mind blowing! (I didn’t read the description, clearly.) I’m always worried the second book won’t stand up to the first but this one was just as good plus it’s even darker. I loved the reverse roles going on compared to the traditional ways. (She washes him, she saves him etc) Both MCs had amazing character growth. Matthias’ humor and banter were fantastic. The trials, the betrayals, and the slow burn were fantastic. I did feel like the ending dragged on a tiny bit and was rather slow compared to the rest of the story.