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Of Flesh & Bone #4
What Sleeps Within the Cove
Go back to where it all began...
Kindle Edition
First published May 13, 2025
1755 people are currently reading
53039 people want to read
About the author
Harper L. Woods
15books5,126followersHarper L Woods A pseudonym used by Adelaide Forrest. Harper L. Woods is the fantasy romance pen name for USA Today Bestselling dark romance author.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 223 reviews
April 19, 2023
I need October to get here already! Or I need an ARC so that I can sleep knowing what happens next. Book 3’s ending has given me a complete anxiety attack! I’m not ok 🤦🏻♀�
August 31, 2024
Can we talk about the fact that this author published chapters on their Patreon? There are barely any updates about the book's release date, but somehow, they have about 46 chapters of the book up on a platform that requires monthly payment. Like, I mean, get your bag, but it seems gross to me to post full chapters of a book people have been waiting for. Rather than, I don't know, waiting and publishing the book. I'm unsure if I'm in the wrong for voicing this, or if authors are doing this now, but it just seems like a gross cash grab to me. I've been waiting for this work, and paying monthly just to keep reading it would cost more than just buying the book at this point since it's 25 or 30 dollars a month.
April 10, 2023
Literally still getting over the end of book 3. I need this one ASAP. I need my babies to have a happy ending!
May 13, 2025
The delays in releasing this really removed a lot of the momentum for me. I found that the tension and danger were lost while they’re in a different setting. there’s also no romantic tension at this point in the series which is such a detriment.
I loved finally getting answers about Estrella’s bloodline (even though it was very predictable). Caldris is a possessive and obsessive simp still.
I just don’t feel as invested in this series as I used to.
Thank you Bramble/Tor for the arc!
I loved finally getting answers about Estrella’s bloodline (even though it was very predictable). Caldris is a possessive and obsessive simp still.
I just don’t feel as invested in this series as I used to.
Thank you Bramble/Tor for the arc!
August 15, 2024
I normally don’t rate/write reviews prior to the book being released but after finding this author’s instagram I’m upset and disappointed. I truly think this won’t be published at this point seeing that she has hardly communicated the barriers to getting this book published but is still posting chapters to Patreon and is actively working on other projects. I remember really liking this story but at this point I will have to do a reread before the 4th book comes out (if it comes out). I’m also seeing this is going to be a 6 book series?! So I can expect to finish this after 2030? Rant over I guess.
Want to read
March 22, 2023I am both THRILLED AND SAD. YAY FOR MORE BUT LEAVE MY FAVES ALONE
Want to read
October 30, 2023Expected release date of August, then October and now NOVEMBER! And google says December and Amazon says January. UGH. Come on I need this book :(
Want to read
June 7, 2023I just gotta know how it ends
May 17, 2025
Boring, unimaginative, and repetitive. So, so repetitive.
The trials were lazy. Must every romantasy's FMC be required to complete some stupid trials??
Yet again, Estrella is the Chosen One because...she just is. She believes in herself! Oh wait she doesn't. No no, she definitely does! Nah, she can't accept herself. Get a grip.
I just hate how much the author wants us to believe that Estrella is a badass heroine. She's just so strong and such a shining feminist! Yet she can't function without Caldris' dick. Of course he's a feminist ally because he constantly tells her he doesn't need to receive oral sex, only she deserves that. As if respecting women simply boils down to occasionally forgoing getting your dick sucked. What a real team player he is. And because we needed further confirmation of Caldris truly not being a feminist, of course he spends significant time trying to sneak into Tartarus to "help" Estrella. Good sir, you are useless. Everyone knows that. Keep away please!
Also, they complete the mating bond in front of her mother? Medusa telling everyone to clear the room so the daughter she met yesterday can get it on with Caldris? It's just tacky and embarrassing. Nothing screams sexiness like mom giving you a wink before you get fucked.
On the Medusa line of thought, when the hell was Greek mythology a part of the prior three books? Am I even reading the same series? Four books in and the author is adding a whole Greek myth layer to the world. Did the publisher just want to cash in on the Greek myth retelling trend?
Sadly, I will not be continuing with this series. The first two books were sexy and fun, but the rest of the series is just a drag. I don't care what happens. The characters don't feel the same. They've just regressed into annoying caricatures.
I want my time back from reading this. Ugh.
Rating system:
1 star: the absolute worst and potentially DNF
2 stars: did not like and forgettable
3 stars: casually liked, not unique, and probably forgettable
4 stars: really liked, might reread
5 stars: phenomenal, will reread, will continue to think about
The trials were lazy. Must every romantasy's FMC be required to complete some stupid trials??
Yet again, Estrella is the Chosen One because...she just is. She believes in herself! Oh wait she doesn't. No no, she definitely does! Nah, she can't accept herself. Get a grip.
I just hate how much the author wants us to believe that Estrella is a badass heroine. She's just so strong and such a shining feminist! Yet she can't function without Caldris' dick. Of course he's a feminist ally because he constantly tells her he doesn't need to receive oral sex, only she deserves that. As if respecting women simply boils down to occasionally forgoing getting your dick sucked. What a real team player he is. And because we needed further confirmation of Caldris truly not being a feminist, of course he spends significant time trying to sneak into Tartarus to "help" Estrella. Good sir, you are useless. Everyone knows that. Keep away please!
Also, they complete the mating bond in front of her mother? Medusa telling everyone to clear the room so the daughter she met yesterday can get it on with Caldris? It's just tacky and embarrassing. Nothing screams sexiness like mom giving you a wink before you get fucked.
On the Medusa line of thought, when the hell was Greek mythology a part of the prior three books? Am I even reading the same series? Four books in and the author is adding a whole Greek myth layer to the world. Did the publisher just want to cash in on the Greek myth retelling trend?
Sadly, I will not be continuing with this series. The first two books were sexy and fun, but the rest of the series is just a drag. I don't care what happens. The characters don't feel the same. They've just regressed into annoying caricatures.
I want my time back from reading this. Ugh.
Rating system:
1 star: the absolute worst and potentially DNF
2 stars: did not like and forgettable
3 stars: casually liked, not unique, and probably forgettable
4 stars: really liked, might reread
5 stars: phenomenal, will reread, will continue to think about
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 3, 2025
This book never should have existed. It should have been a trilogy and is clearly just a money grab at this point. Sadly, it reads like a money grab as well. There is little to no movement in this book and it just felt like poorly-timed filler. It's sad because I really enjoyed the first book in this series, but at this point, I'll have to wait for the series to be done and see if it's worth slogging through the filler to get to the good parts of the story.
Want to read
August 15, 2024Hey I'm confused, ŷ keeps giving me notifications about Book 4, but it also says this has (yet again) been pushed back to August 2025??? Can someone tell me if that's right? Because if so, then why do I keep getting notifications about it?
April 13, 2025
Why in the world would you stretch a book into six books when the story could have been better told in 3-4 books
May 16, 2025
Another filler book…yay…nothing significant happens and it ends with another cliffhanger
August 20, 2024
how long am I supposed to wait?! imma right my own ending atp
September 13, 2023
"If you love Rhysand you'll love this book" no a court of thorns and roses will not help this book series. Nice try.
June 4, 2025
After Mab sends her on a mission to the depths of tartarus, Estrella must face a set of trials to prove her worth and gather a serpent from Medusa’s crown if she wants to escape alive. But things are not what they seem as on her journey she uncovers many truths that were kept about her origins, her identity and her magic.
In this book, we have character growth from Estrella’s character as she is confronted with her past and her decisions. We not only learn her nature but the role she must play in the world and at the hands of the fates as well as the identity of her parents.
The world building is stronger in this book, as we learn more about the primordials, the gods and their roles.
I love books with well crafted world buildings and this installment showed me glimpses of a great one.
The bond between Caldris and Estrella is getting stronger and stronger, (there’s still a lot of spicy scenes in this one) and I feel like they could achieve a lot together, but that cliffhanger of an ending was so frustrating, I don’t know what to think.
I feel like this series is getting better as you read it and I can’t wait to know what the author has in store for us.
Thank you so much Netgalley and Hodderscape or this ARC!!
In this book, we have character growth from Estrella’s character as she is confronted with her past and her decisions. We not only learn her nature but the role she must play in the world and at the hands of the fates as well as the identity of her parents.
The world building is stronger in this book, as we learn more about the primordials, the gods and their roles.
I love books with well crafted world buildings and this installment showed me glimpses of a great one.
The bond between Caldris and Estrella is getting stronger and stronger, (there’s still a lot of spicy scenes in this one) and I feel like they could achieve a lot together, but that cliffhanger of an ending was so frustrating, I don’t know what to think.
I feel like this series is getting better as you read it and I can’t wait to know what the author has in store for us.
Thank you so much Netgalley and Hodderscape or this ARC!!
May 14, 2025
3.5 stars
I should absolutely have re-read the first three books or read a recap of them because two years is far too long between books and I was a bit lost at the beginning.
So big things happen in this book and it has a hell of an ending but it takes a while to get through everything. The pacing dipped in places that made it drag and I can't help but feel that another edit might have helped keep the pacing up without losing the important points.
My main complaint, however, is that the spice we know and love from the first three books just wasn't really there. Where was the spice?! There were a couple of moments but they were missing the spark from the first three books.
This is definitely a set up for the final book in the series, so I'm glad I read it as I think the last book is going to be exciting. It just didn't have the same vibe as the first three books.
I should absolutely have re-read the first three books or read a recap of them because two years is far too long between books and I was a bit lost at the beginning.
So big things happen in this book and it has a hell of an ending but it takes a while to get through everything. The pacing dipped in places that made it drag and I can't help but feel that another edit might have helped keep the pacing up without losing the important points.
My main complaint, however, is that the spice we know and love from the first three books just wasn't really there. Where was the spice?! There were a couple of moments but they were missing the spark from the first three books.
This is definitely a set up for the final book in the series, so I'm glad I read it as I think the last book is going to be exciting. It just didn't have the same vibe as the first three books.
January 2, 2025
I love this series because each book somehow tops the previous one! This is my favorite yet. Most of this book is spent with Estrella in Tartarus, which added some freshness to the story with new plot lines and characters. It almost felt like a separate story from the other books, but everything is so vital to the series overall. There is still a heavy dose of Mab’s cruelty and the events going on at her palace in Tar Mesa. Although it doesn’t seem possible, Mab becomes even more unhinged and it will make her (hopefully) eventual downfall even more satisfying.
I’ll say it, I wasn’t a huge Caldris fan in the first book but his character growth throughout the series has been phenomenal. Estrella brings out the best in him and helps him see the world in a new light, but we also still get our “he’ll burn the world for her� morally grey MMC. I was worried we wouldn’t get much of Caldris & Estrella in this book, but rest assured there are plenty of both tender and heated moments between them!
I want to shout from the rooftops about so many things, but it is hard to say much without giving major spoilers since we don’t know what happens after Estrella jumps into the cove at the end of book three. I will say I love all of the mythology references used in the world of Tartarus, including characters like Medusa & the Morrigan. Woods does an excellent job setting the scene in Tartarus with vivid writing that had me picturing everything while I read.
And let me just say the TWISTS and reveals in this book left me kicking & screaming with my jaw dropped. I am so glad there will be at least two more books because I am not ready for this series to end!
And thank you to Harper L. Woods for this lovely message in the acknowledgments that really resonated with me:
𝘛𝘰 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘸 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 . . . 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘦’� 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘶𝘴.
Thank you to Bramble & Tor for providing me with an advanced copy of this book. This review is voluntary, and all opinions expressed are my own.
I’ll say it, I wasn’t a huge Caldris fan in the first book but his character growth throughout the series has been phenomenal. Estrella brings out the best in him and helps him see the world in a new light, but we also still get our “he’ll burn the world for her� morally grey MMC. I was worried we wouldn’t get much of Caldris & Estrella in this book, but rest assured there are plenty of both tender and heated moments between them!
I want to shout from the rooftops about so many things, but it is hard to say much without giving major spoilers since we don’t know what happens after Estrella jumps into the cove at the end of book three. I will say I love all of the mythology references used in the world of Tartarus, including characters like Medusa & the Morrigan. Woods does an excellent job setting the scene in Tartarus with vivid writing that had me picturing everything while I read.
And let me just say the TWISTS and reveals in this book left me kicking & screaming with my jaw dropped. I am so glad there will be at least two more books because I am not ready for this series to end!
And thank you to Harper L. Woods for this lovely message in the acknowledgments that really resonated with me:
𝘛𝘰 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘦𝘸 𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮 . . . 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘦’� 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘶𝘴.
Thank you to Bramble & Tor for providing me with an advanced copy of this book. This review is voluntary, and all opinions expressed are my own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 21, 2025
Thank you to Netgalley, Hodder Books and Harper L. Woods for the ARC.
"Go back to where it all began..."
I am extremely sad. I hate writing less than positive reviews, especially when I've been lucky enough to be given the opportunity to read a book early. But this book wasn't it.
This series should've just been a trilogy. There, I said it. This book had minimal movement, the pacing was off and it just didn't flow. It reads like a filler book which I guess is what it is now that the series has been extended to 6 books.
It was nice to read about Estrella's past, even if it was pretty predictable, and how she has grown into herself more. And don't get me wrong, this book had one hell of an ending but it was the journey to that ending that makes me give this book 2.5 stars.
The first book was my absolute favourite. Book two was pretty good as well. The third was good too but when I read the ending I knew this series was going to drag out. I hope I don't have to slog through another filler book before finally getting an ending to this story.
"Go back to where it all began..."
I am extremely sad. I hate writing less than positive reviews, especially when I've been lucky enough to be given the opportunity to read a book early. But this book wasn't it.
This series should've just been a trilogy. There, I said it. This book had minimal movement, the pacing was off and it just didn't flow. It reads like a filler book which I guess is what it is now that the series has been extended to 6 books.
It was nice to read about Estrella's past, even if it was pretty predictable, and how she has grown into herself more. And don't get me wrong, this book had one hell of an ending but it was the journey to that ending that makes me give this book 2.5 stars.
The first book was my absolute favourite. Book two was pretty good as well. The third was good too but when I read the ending I knew this series was going to drag out. I hope I don't have to slog through another filler book before finally getting an ending to this story.
Want to read
November 30, 2023I NEED IT NOWWW 😭😭😭 OCTOBER IS SO FAR AWAY AHHHHH
Edit** Now ima cry seeing its coming out in Feb 💀💀� LMAOO.
Edit** Now ima cry seeing its coming out in Feb 💀💀� LMAOO.
May 20, 2025
4.75/5⭐️ 3.5/5🌶�
March 10, 2025
After reading the first book, I thought, 'Okay, this is ACOTAR's darker, spicier sister, right?' WRONG. Each one of these books breaks you a little bit more than the last. The emotional entanglement—that I wasn't expecting after a banter-filled, spicy first installment—is what has kidnapped my heart altogether.
I went in expecting a fun, spicy ride. What I got was an emotional rollercoaster that left me questioning my existence.
The weight of each chapter settled in my chest like a physical burden.
From playful banter to soul-crushing despair, this series takes you on a journey you won't soon forget. Or ever recover from.
I thought I was traumatized after book three (ask my bestie, I talked about it for months). And how am I after book four?
* Well, I am writing my own obituary, as I fear I have made the rookie Sims mistake by dying of self-inflicted emotional dysregulation.
* My emotional support animal has filed a missing person report.
* I've started referring to my emotions as 'the Harper Woods casualties'.
* My therapist has this book listed as a hazardous material.
ACOTAR? No. Emotional warfare? Yes.
Banter to breakdown. (one or the other, you can't have both)
Book four: obituary pending.
Should you read this series? Ask yourself if you have self-preservation.
If not, I'll see you at the Harper Woods therapy group in the afterlife. Welcome.
Also, shout out to netgalley for supplying me with my own downfall. It's much appreciated ❤️
I went in expecting a fun, spicy ride. What I got was an emotional rollercoaster that left me questioning my existence.
The weight of each chapter settled in my chest like a physical burden.
From playful banter to soul-crushing despair, this series takes you on a journey you won't soon forget. Or ever recover from.
I thought I was traumatized after book three (ask my bestie, I talked about it for months). And how am I after book four?
* Well, I am writing my own obituary, as I fear I have made the rookie Sims mistake by dying of self-inflicted emotional dysregulation.
* My emotional support animal has filed a missing person report.
* I've started referring to my emotions as 'the Harper Woods casualties'.
* My therapist has this book listed as a hazardous material.
ACOTAR? No. Emotional warfare? Yes.
Banter to breakdown. (one or the other, you can't have both)
Book four: obituary pending.
Should you read this series? Ask yourself if you have self-preservation.
If not, I'll see you at the Harper Woods therapy group in the afterlife. Welcome.
Also, shout out to netgalley for supplying me with my own downfall. It's much appreciated ❤️
Want to read
May 22, 2025Coming out May 13
May 22, 2025
I waited centuries for you. Waited centuries for this, and you still somehow manage to exceed every hope and dream I had
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠:
3/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️
� 𝑀𝓎 𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓊𝑔𝒽𝓉𝓈:
Did I eat it up? I did. How? I am not sure really considering this could have been much better than what we got. However, the plot itself was pretty addicting even if at times it did feel like it was dragging. If it wasn’t for those parts I could have probably knocked this out in a day but honestly I needed a break from it at times.
I did feel like the long wait between books had me write confused at the start (considering the plot itself isn’t that memorable � all I had to go on was the fact that I remember it being mildly close to BBA). However, at least it is simple enough that I was able to recall things as she mentions key parts to the previous books in this one jogging my memory.
I do wish the relationship between Caldris and Estrella could have been developed a bit more, their connection and relationship this book felt a bit lackluster. They didn’t give me the same vibes or giggly feelings I had from the other books. Honestly, their relationship was kinda boring this book however, I do get this book in particular was more about the plot and not their relationship so it is what it is.
I did however, enjoy the new characters we got, especially Medusa.
”make them bleed for what they’ve done to you�
“And when they call me a monster, too?�
“Prove them right Sometimes a monster is exactly what the world needs to right the wrongs that have been committed for centuries.
The reveals throughout the book concerning Estrella and her origins along with what she was destined for was finally nice to see. The ending was still predictable as hell, and although I’m sure one is meant to feel sad at the end of the book because of that “cliffhanger,� I can also essentially predict what will happen in the upcoming book at least conceding that situation.
The multi POV was a nice touch though, we not only got Caldris and Estrella’s POV this time but also Nila’s to keep us informed of what is happening with Mab while we are down in Tartarus dragging gout these trails Estrella goes through.
The trials could have taken up less time in my opinion, there whereto many for no reason. I understand the need for her to go through some of them for her character development so that she accepts herself, her new power and so that she proves she won’t go crazy with power or let her emotions over run her, but there was no need to do so many of them, it felt tedious.
Aside from that the book was alright, just could have been better, more exciting, and I just wish it wouldn’t have been so damn predictable.
Your fear of yourself is your greatest weakness. Be the fucking monster, Estrella. For they will judge you as one either way.
� 𝒮𝓅𝒾𝒸𝑒 𝓁𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓁: 🌶️🌶️
If I were ever to get to choose a last meal, if I were to die with her taste on my tongue, then I would step willingly into the abyss.
� 𝙁𝙖𝙫𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙌𝙪𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙨:
�Better to die free than live on your knees
�I would burn this world and the next to the ground before I ever lived a day without my mate in it
�Only those who hadn’t suffered could underestimate what the greatest pains were.
�Every monster is the hero of their own story, and every hero the villain of someone else’s.
�“I’ve been looking for you,�
“And I’ve been waiting for you, min asteren�
�It has been my honor to stand at your side while you discover yourself and your heart after all of this time. I have waited centuries for you, and I would have waited centuries more, because there is no one in this world or the one that we will create who could ever inspire me the way you do. You make me want to be better. You make me want more than I have ever dared to dream of, and you make me believe in light, when all I’ve known is night
�I vow to be the sword at your back, to protect you from those who would stand in your way or make moves behind your back. I vow to support you in all you do, and to believe in the world you see for our future and our children’s future. My sword and my life are yours, min asteren. In this life and the afterlife, in this world and what comes next, you are my guiding light—the answer to the questions I didn’t know to ask.
�You are everything, my star. None of this matters if I do not have you.
�Estrella burned so bright she eclipsed every other woman from the world, casting them into the shadows of her light.
�my world lost its color as I felt that thread snap.
It took my soul with it, my heart
�“Even death couldn’t keep me from her now.
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠:
3/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️
� 𝑀𝓎 𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓊𝑔𝒽𝓉𝓈:
Did I eat it up? I did. How? I am not sure really considering this could have been much better than what we got. However, the plot itself was pretty addicting even if at times it did feel like it was dragging. If it wasn’t for those parts I could have probably knocked this out in a day but honestly I needed a break from it at times.
I did feel like the long wait between books had me write confused at the start (considering the plot itself isn’t that memorable � all I had to go on was the fact that I remember it being mildly close to BBA). However, at least it is simple enough that I was able to recall things as she mentions key parts to the previous books in this one jogging my memory.
I do wish the relationship between Caldris and Estrella could have been developed a bit more, their connection and relationship this book felt a bit lackluster. They didn’t give me the same vibes or giggly feelings I had from the other books. Honestly, their relationship was kinda boring this book however, I do get this book in particular was more about the plot and not their relationship so it is what it is.
I did however, enjoy the new characters we got, especially Medusa.
”make them bleed for what they’ve done to you�
“And when they call me a monster, too?�
“Prove them right Sometimes a monster is exactly what the world needs to right the wrongs that have been committed for centuries.
The reveals throughout the book concerning Estrella and her origins along with what she was destined for was finally nice to see. The ending was still predictable as hell, and although I’m sure one is meant to feel sad at the end of the book because of that “cliffhanger,� I can also essentially predict what will happen in the upcoming book at least conceding that situation.
The multi POV was a nice touch though, we not only got Caldris and Estrella’s POV this time but also Nila’s to keep us informed of what is happening with Mab while we are down in Tartarus dragging gout these trails Estrella goes through.
The trials could have taken up less time in my opinion, there whereto many for no reason. I understand the need for her to go through some of them for her character development so that she accepts herself, her new power and so that she proves she won’t go crazy with power or let her emotions over run her, but there was no need to do so many of them, it felt tedious.
Aside from that the book was alright, just could have been better, more exciting, and I just wish it wouldn’t have been so damn predictable.
Your fear of yourself is your greatest weakness. Be the fucking monster, Estrella. For they will judge you as one either way.
� 𝒮𝓅𝒾𝒸𝑒 𝓁𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓁: 🌶️🌶️
If I were ever to get to choose a last meal, if I were to die with her taste on my tongue, then I would step willingly into the abyss.
� 𝙁𝙖𝙫𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙌𝙪𝙤𝙩𝙚𝙨:
�Better to die free than live on your knees
�I would burn this world and the next to the ground before I ever lived a day without my mate in it
�Only those who hadn’t suffered could underestimate what the greatest pains were.
�Every monster is the hero of their own story, and every hero the villain of someone else’s.
�“I’ve been looking for you,�
“And I’ve been waiting for you, min asteren�
�It has been my honor to stand at your side while you discover yourself and your heart after all of this time. I have waited centuries for you, and I would have waited centuries more, because there is no one in this world or the one that we will create who could ever inspire me the way you do. You make me want to be better. You make me want more than I have ever dared to dream of, and you make me believe in light, when all I’ve known is night
�I vow to be the sword at your back, to protect you from those who would stand in your way or make moves behind your back. I vow to support you in all you do, and to believe in the world you see for our future and our children’s future. My sword and my life are yours, min asteren. In this life and the afterlife, in this world and what comes next, you are my guiding light—the answer to the questions I didn’t know to ask.
�You are everything, my star. None of this matters if I do not have you.
�Estrella burned so bright she eclipsed every other woman from the world, casting them into the shadows of her light.
�my world lost its color as I felt that thread snap.
It took my soul with it, my heart
�“Even death couldn’t keep me from her now.
May 15, 2025
The central thrust of What Sleeps Within the Cove is Estrella’s harrowing journey through Tartarus. As part of her bargain with the increasingly unstable Queen Mab, Estrella is tasked with retrieving a serpent from Medusa’s crown—a feat few survive. To do so, she must endure the Trials of the Five Rivers, each one a crucible reflecting her fears, traumas, and moral reckoning.
Separated from her magic and allies, Estrella relies on raw determination, intellect, and evolving instincts. With each challenge, from the choking waters of Lethe to the shadowy reflections of Styx, she peels away layers of herself—until what remains is not just a fae or a human, but something new. Something ancient. Something fated.
Meanwhile, Caldris’s desperate attempt to soul-walk into Tartarus adds urgency and sorrow, reminding us that love—especially the mate-bond they share—is as much a curse as a lifeline.
What This Book Does Exceptionally Well
1. Mythological Layering
Woods takes bold steps by incorporating Greek underworld mythology into her fae world. This could have felt jarring, but instead it enriches the series' spiritual and symbolic language. Tartarus is imagined as a living, tormenting entity, its rivers and trials inspired by classical lore, but reimagined through the lens of trauma, rebirth, and power.
2. Character-Driven Fantasy
At its core, this is Estrella’s story. We witness her at her weakest, stripped bare by grief, pain, and the loss of identity. And it’s in this vulnerability that her strength is reborn—not through spells, but through introspection, courage, and raw humanity.
3. Dual POV Resonance
The alternating perspectives between Estrella and Caldris add emotional weight. His journey—plagued by guilt, obsession, and love—isn’t just filler; it’s an aching echo of Estrella’s sacrifice. Their longing isn’t just romantic; it’s mythic.
4. Atmospheric Writing
Woods’s prose is at its most vivid here. Descriptions of Tartarus are lush and terrifying: serpents of shadow, bioluminescent caverns, ice-thorned gates, and the suffocating pressure of rivers that remember pain. The writing creates a sensory experience, pulling the reader into the realm as surely as the Void pulls at Estrella.
Critical Reflections: Where the Shadows Falter
Despite its immersive power, the novel has a few pacing and structural hiccups:
- Trial Repetition: While each trial offers symbolic and emotional resonance, some sections begin to feel formulaic. The stakes, while ever-present, plateau slightly in the middle chapters.
- Supporting Characters as Scenery: Characters like Holt and the Lliadhe are present but peripheral. There’s emotional potential in their storylines that isn’t fully explored here.
- Mythological Density: Occasionally, the mythic exposition becomes weighty. Conversations with primordial beings like Khaos and the Morrigan sometimes sacrifice emotional clarity for cryptic grandeur.
These aren’t dealbreakers, but they do temper the otherwise masterful pacing and focus.
Themes That Echo Through the Abyss
- Identity Without Power: Estrella’s journey strips her down to her bones. Who is she without magic, without Caldris, without even her name? What Sleeps Within the Cove makes it clear: identity is forged in trial, not granted by birthright or bond.
- Love as Anchor and Anvil: The romance remains soul-deep but matures. It’s less about passion and more about devotion—about holding on when the world demands you let go.
- The Politics of Legacy: As Estrella’s influence grows, so does her political significance. The Lliadhe’s unwavering loyalty to her and the shifting tides of fae society hint at larger reckonings to come. This is not just a personal journey—it’s the genesis of revolution.
Unforgettable Moments
- Trial of Lethe: A surreal sequence in which Estrella nearly forgets who she is, underscoring how memory and identity are entwined.
- Caldris’s Soul-Walk: A haunting attempt to reach Estrella, resulting in devastating physical and emotional tolls.
- The Medusa Confrontation: Not just a battle, but a reckoning between power and pain, fear and feminine rage.
- The Reunion in the Cove: Bittersweet and quiet, this is no grand battle scene but a moment of fragile peace amid storm.
Final Thoughts: A Testament to Endurance
What Sleeps Within the Cove is not a tale of conquest but of survival. It’s about how you rebuild after breaking, how you redefine strength, and how even in the darkest places—maybe especially there—you learn who you are. Harper L. Woods continues to craft stories that feel like both legend and confession, with writing that cuts like a dagger and soothes like a spell.
As we await the finale, What Roams Beneath the Stars, the question remains not whether Estrella will fight—but who she will be when the stars themselves are watching.
Separated from her magic and allies, Estrella relies on raw determination, intellect, and evolving instincts. With each challenge, from the choking waters of Lethe to the shadowy reflections of Styx, she peels away layers of herself—until what remains is not just a fae or a human, but something new. Something ancient. Something fated.
Meanwhile, Caldris’s desperate attempt to soul-walk into Tartarus adds urgency and sorrow, reminding us that love—especially the mate-bond they share—is as much a curse as a lifeline.
What This Book Does Exceptionally Well
1. Mythological Layering
Woods takes bold steps by incorporating Greek underworld mythology into her fae world. This could have felt jarring, but instead it enriches the series' spiritual and symbolic language. Tartarus is imagined as a living, tormenting entity, its rivers and trials inspired by classical lore, but reimagined through the lens of trauma, rebirth, and power.
2. Character-Driven Fantasy
At its core, this is Estrella’s story. We witness her at her weakest, stripped bare by grief, pain, and the loss of identity. And it’s in this vulnerability that her strength is reborn—not through spells, but through introspection, courage, and raw humanity.
3. Dual POV Resonance
The alternating perspectives between Estrella and Caldris add emotional weight. His journey—plagued by guilt, obsession, and love—isn’t just filler; it’s an aching echo of Estrella’s sacrifice. Their longing isn’t just romantic; it’s mythic.
4. Atmospheric Writing
Woods’s prose is at its most vivid here. Descriptions of Tartarus are lush and terrifying: serpents of shadow, bioluminescent caverns, ice-thorned gates, and the suffocating pressure of rivers that remember pain. The writing creates a sensory experience, pulling the reader into the realm as surely as the Void pulls at Estrella.
Critical Reflections: Where the Shadows Falter
Despite its immersive power, the novel has a few pacing and structural hiccups:
- Trial Repetition: While each trial offers symbolic and emotional resonance, some sections begin to feel formulaic. The stakes, while ever-present, plateau slightly in the middle chapters.
- Supporting Characters as Scenery: Characters like Holt and the Lliadhe are present but peripheral. There’s emotional potential in their storylines that isn’t fully explored here.
- Mythological Density: Occasionally, the mythic exposition becomes weighty. Conversations with primordial beings like Khaos and the Morrigan sometimes sacrifice emotional clarity for cryptic grandeur.
These aren’t dealbreakers, but they do temper the otherwise masterful pacing and focus.
Themes That Echo Through the Abyss
- Identity Without Power: Estrella’s journey strips her down to her bones. Who is she without magic, without Caldris, without even her name? What Sleeps Within the Cove makes it clear: identity is forged in trial, not granted by birthright or bond.
- Love as Anchor and Anvil: The romance remains soul-deep but matures. It’s less about passion and more about devotion—about holding on when the world demands you let go.
- The Politics of Legacy: As Estrella’s influence grows, so does her political significance. The Lliadhe’s unwavering loyalty to her and the shifting tides of fae society hint at larger reckonings to come. This is not just a personal journey—it’s the genesis of revolution.
Unforgettable Moments
- Trial of Lethe: A surreal sequence in which Estrella nearly forgets who she is, underscoring how memory and identity are entwined.
- Caldris’s Soul-Walk: A haunting attempt to reach Estrella, resulting in devastating physical and emotional tolls.
- The Medusa Confrontation: Not just a battle, but a reckoning between power and pain, fear and feminine rage.
- The Reunion in the Cove: Bittersweet and quiet, this is no grand battle scene but a moment of fragile peace amid storm.
Final Thoughts: A Testament to Endurance
What Sleeps Within the Cove is not a tale of conquest but of survival. It’s about how you rebuild after breaking, how you redefine strength, and how even in the darkest places—maybe especially there—you learn who you are. Harper L. Woods continues to craft stories that feel like both legend and confession, with writing that cuts like a dagger and soothes like a spell.
As we await the finale, What Roams Beneath the Stars, the question remains not whether Estrella will fight—but who she will be when the stars themselves are watching.
June 11, 2025
For the first half of the book, Caldris and Estrella are apart.
We’re focusing on trials the Estrella must succeed and survive.
She. Cannot. Fail.
We learn where she’s from.
Who she is. Who her parents are.
But lost important? Her destiny.
“Daughter of a Primordial or not. Princess of Khaos or not.�
Queen Mab is losing control. She’s killing more and more innocents, even her own kind.
It’s a race to stop her.
Caldris was more of a secondary character in this book. He moved over to create s bigger space for Estrella, his mate, to go through these trials she must do alone.
While the book was entertaining, it just was not my favorite. I was obsessed with the first three books, but I just wasn’t excited while reading this one. It does leave off on a pretty intense cliffhanger however, it’s not something that I’m gonna lose sleep over because I know the author will make it right . These two characters are definitely endgame so I’m not worried about it.
3.75⭐️
We’re focusing on trials the Estrella must succeed and survive.
She. Cannot. Fail.
We learn where she’s from.
Who she is. Who her parents are.
But lost important? Her destiny.
“Daughter of a Primordial or not. Princess of Khaos or not.�
Queen Mab is losing control. She’s killing more and more innocents, even her own kind.
It’s a race to stop her.
Caldris was more of a secondary character in this book. He moved over to create s bigger space for Estrella, his mate, to go through these trials she must do alone.
While the book was entertaining, it just was not my favorite. I was obsessed with the first three books, but I just wasn’t excited while reading this one. It does leave off on a pretty intense cliffhanger however, it’s not something that I’m gonna lose sleep over because I know the author will make it right . These two characters are definitely endgame so I’m not worried about it.
3.75⭐️
June 2, 2025
Estrella and Caldris's story continues right where book 3 left off. However, where all three prior books built up intensity with plot twists, action, and spice, this book, for me, dragged on too slowly. Estrella must pass five trials in Tarterus to be able to return home. In theory, this should be exciting. In reality, it was lackluster. It was just very slow pacing, a lot of talking and inner monologue, and not a lot of action. There are some big revelations for both Estrella and Caldris that will play strongly into future books, and the ending is rather unexpected. I'll be interested to see what comes next for these characters!
Tags:
-romantasy
-fated mates
-touch her and ☠️
Spice: 2.5/5
First person/Dual POV
Tags:
-romantasy
-fated mates
-touch her and ☠️
Spice: 2.5/5
First person/Dual POV
June 18, 2025
The ending had me screaming.
June 7, 2025
OH COME ON.
May 19, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
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