Bind the Soul (Steel & Stone)

I received an ARC direct from the author in exchange for an honest review. Can I just say before I get carried away with telling you all how absolutely wonderful this book is, that I have no connection whatsoever to the author, I am just a fan who absolutely loved her first book in the Steel and Stone series, Chase the Dark and got lucky enough to receive this through following Anette Marie's website.

I must stress this is the second in a series and should be read in order, you would be lost without the first. Don't let that upset you though as Chase the Dark is an absolute treat, but my review could include spoilers for that.

We left off at the end of Chase the Dark with Piper and Lyre back at the Consulate, officially redeemed from all crimes concerning the Sahar stone, a powerful daemon lodestone, and in a somewhat difficult position with her family. The Sahar stone itself has been lost to Samael and Ash has disappeared without a trace, probably back in the Underworld. The first half of this book centres around Piper's quest to find and rescue Ash, and I have to say I read the first 50% in a single sitting until about 2 in the morning! I could not put this book down, the action was totally gripping and moved along at a fast pace. I literally had an increased hart rate for much of this book! Piper's eventual journey into the underworld does not go exactly as planned, but she manages to fight through every situation she finds herself in and I was amazed at how her character is developing, how her views on individuals and groups of people are changing. What was once her world of black and white has become very grey. She has managed to convince herself that she is going after Ash because of a sense of friendship and duty because he saved her life. I really look forward to her realisation that she is fooling herself!!! Ash himself was phenomenal and I have a complete book crush on him. We see the background in this book as to why he acts and is as he is. In fact we get a lot of background into the draconians as a race and I was completely fascinated. Ash remains very complicated, but he is one serious badass daemon with a heart. We get introduced to a few new draconians who were also utterly fascinating and equally complicated. I am very much hoping that we see what happened to Raum, another of Samael's draconians, in the next book.

At the end of Chase the Dark we discovered, along with Piper herself, that she can tap into the Sahar stone's power and a large part of this book centres around the stone itself and indeed we find out a lot about it's history and the reasons why Piper has a connection. This part of the story was completely satisfying and at the same time I am dying to find out more! I am also very curious to learn more about the magic trapped inside of Piper and her actual heritage.

I adore the way that this story is unfolding, the more we learn about the world the more I want to learn. It appears that despite living in a daemon consulate for all of her life, Piper has been very sheltered and I really want to have a face to face with her father! He has a lot to answer for. I also suspect we have not seen the last of her mother. The daemons themselves are as complex as humans and even more fascinating due to their very nature. We see a little more of Lyre's true self and he comes across as a genuine person and a true friend. From certain events during the first book it looked as if there was a possibility of a love triangle. Let me say that there was not a hint of this thank goodness. I personally do not like them, but this author rises well above that and manages every subject gracefully and skillfully.

As I reached the end of this book I kept looking at how far through I was and kept thinking I do not want this to end! I tried to read slower but it was not working, the need to read page after page was in fact a spell all of it's own! The final battle scene was intense and gripping and Piper's final decision was all at once heartbreaking, mature and utterly the 'right' thing to do. You're going to have to read it to find out for yourselves. I cannot recommend this book enough, it is definitely among my top reads of the year. Annette Marie has created this utterly desolate, desperate and raw world where emotions abound and anything seems possible and impossible. Her characters grab you by the heart and won't let go. This book has class in spades, it is completely beautiful. I urge anyone who likes fantasy, urban fantasy, romance (although it's a very slow burn it is romantic in the true sense of the word) and a fantastically told story to read this. I find myself on tenterhooks for the next book, you will too.

Even better than the first! And that’s saying a lot because I really loved the first book. Like the first installment, it is well written, the plot is engaging and fast moving, and the characters continue to develop, further enveloping me in their unique worlds. I just love Piper. She’s quick thinking and she stands on her own two feet among the physically and magically superior daemons. Yes, she needs help at times, but I find that refreshing. The characters have limited strength and power and at times they must rely on others to survive. Despite what other reviewers think, all-powerful characters are boring and a cop out and, to my delight, the author doesn’t go there. And though I have much love for Piper, I still have plenty to spare for Ash. I really got to know Ash in this book and I absolutely adore him and simply couldn’t get enough of him! The relationship between Ash and Piper deepened in a very satisfying way and I’m practically salivating for more! The author can definitely do steamy scenes!

There isn’t nearly as much Lyre in this book, which didn’t bother me, but may disappoint some readers who took a strong liking to him in book one. Conflict is piled on even higher in this installment, making for an even more exciting – and darker – story. Readers who prefer lighter fare may find the heavy conflict loaded on the main characters off putting. There are torture scenes, but they are brief. I thought Piper’s reaction to torture was realistic (she starting cracking under the weight of it), but I was a bit skeptical of how quickly Ash moved on from it, especially since he was subjected to it for weeks. But I suppose he didn’t have the luxury of time to let it all sink in – they weren’t safe yet. There were moments of coincidental convenience that helped the main characters out of sticky situations, but I found myself easily willing to suspend my disbelief. The story is THAT engaging.

A final warning to those considering investing their time in this series – the romance is secondary to the plot. Some fans of the paranormal genre are all about the romance. If you are one of those readers, you may be disappointed. I was not. I love romance in my stories, but I rarely enjoy romance novels. This series has my kind of romance – a slow-burning romance born of conflict that grows as the characters fight together and learn to trust one another in order to survive. The romance between Ash and Piper is passionate and physical (kudos to the writer for showing, not telling!) and I could literally feel their need for one another, but they aren’t stupid enough to forget their circumstances. The plot moves too fast for that!

This series continues to get stronger. The plot, the characters, and the worlds are all strongly built, engaging, and unique in their own ways. I am thoroughly invested and recommend this series to lovers of the genre. I can’t wait for book three!

This is an eARC review.

It has been five weeks since anyone last saw or heard from Ash, even though rumors have suggested Ash returned to the Underworld on his own free will. Piper couldn't believe Ash would leave without even saying goodbye, not after what they've been through. Piper's determination on finding Ash then expose Samual's execrable way of controlling the dragonians. In spite of the danger, Piper is adamant to find out what happened to Ash and how she can set him free.

I thought Bind the Soul was a great addition and follow-up to the series. Piper's existence is unique and it would be interesting to see what it could mean now that it is revealed. While we still don't know much about her magic, I do look forward to read and learn more about her magic when they do unsealed.

I love Piper and Ash's relationship, they shared a special bond that grows deeper through series of trials. I had so much fun to read how they interacts with each other. I especially like this particular scene in Bind the Soul, where Ashe have completely shaded and his natural instinct took over. I am quite curious to learn what this peculiar behavior means.

Piper feels conflicted as her feelings for Ash grows deeper. For her dream to become a Consul, she cannot have any personal feeling for the demons. Before her journey with Ash and Lyre, Piper only sees the world in black and white. But after spending times with Ash and Lyre, she realized the world isn't so black and white anymore. I look forward to see if she will overcome her belief, and what will it means when she does.

With just a hint of possible romance, Bind the Soul is full of actions and thrilling adventures. While some may not be pleasant for Piper, I thoroughly enjoyed reading each daunting task Piper had to subdue, and the positive outcome they brings.

If you enjoy fast-paced, adventurous Urban Fantasy novel, you wouldn't want to miss this series! I look forward to read Book 3. You can now pre-order Yield The Night on Amazon!

Happy Reading!! XO

Just when you think Piper couldn't be anymore badass, she throws you for a loop! Picking up not long after the first book, Piper is on the search for Ash who has vanished. With Lyre at her side we see some old faces and new troubles. You finally get to meet the great Samael who is ever bit as terrifying as he's imagined with all sorts of tortures to keep his people in line. And to finish it all of with a battle of epic proportion that finally unlocks the powers of the Sahar. I must say I can not wait for the next one!!

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review and lemme tell ya...I loved it! I fall a little more in love with Ash with every page. So many times I asked myself...will piper save Ash? Each time she got a little closer she got knocked back and Annette writes it all so well you can't help but feel knocked back with Piper. It's one hell of a roller coaster and I couldn't put it down. I'm hoping in the next book we'll get more insight on Piper ' s powers. They weren't touched on at all, but there is a tiny glimpse of her relationship with Quin...tiny....and its tense. ..hopefully we'll get more on that the next go round too. But...5 stars because I loved it and can't wait for more!

ARC review ... Loooovvveeedddd this book! Again! This is my second review EVER n the first one was over the previous book lol ... I read ALOT but I do no reviews ... but I just HAD to with this series n although I suppose I could give a LOOONNNGGGGA list as to why ... I won't ... just take it from a woman who reads like crazy but finds very few authors who can suck me in until they're ready to spit me out ... this series is a keeper ... this author is a keeper ... one of those that if u see the name on a book u don't even need to read the back to figure out if u want to get it ... u know u do ... the only complaint I have is having to wait til the next book ... ugh!

Can't get enough of this series. 💖

Bind the Soul brings so much depth to Ash’s story and only expands on the incredible adventures this sweet trio has.

Always growing, always feisty, Piper is afraid but fearless in the way she pursues the things she knows she needs to do to protect her loved ones. This installment is a beautiful, rich and heart-stopping adventhre in my very favorite world.

This series is very good and the author is an excellent writer. I bought all the books in this series and could hardly bear to put them down.

Another fantastic book, this series is only getting better! I love anything Annette Marie writes! She creates heart pumping, action-packed, fast-paced, mind numbing, and fun adventures! It was so easy to be caught up in the story. This book picked up where it left off in Chase the Dark. What I love most about this story is all of the nonstop action. I also, loved getting to know more about Ash. If I loved him in the first book, I love him even more now. Piper and Ash's moments were so hot and intense! I want more of them! There were all kinds of surprises in this book, some were even stressful. I am dying to read the next book. I can't wait to get started on it!