Under Darkened Skies

De: H.E. Bauman

Narrado por: Brielle Rose

A librarian with a secret. A prince looking for redemption. A dark discovery that will force them to confront their truths.

Astrea Sovna is destined to die. As a Lightbringer, she’s expected to serve the Helosian government as a battlefield healer; but when the court seer—Astrea’s uncle—has a vision of her being killed in the line of duty, he forbids her to reveal her powers.

Until now, Astrea has gone unnoticed as a junior librarian. But when she gets reassigned to a diplomatic project to strengthen ties between Helosia and one of its neighbors, she finds herself saddled with her past, in the form of returned war hero and her ex-best friend, Prince Varojin Auris.

Forced to work together, Astrea soon learns that although Varojin has been out of her life for years, he’s still the kind, patient friend she remembers. As they navigate old friendships and imperial politics, the pair discovers that the mysterious shadows stalking the city are leaving a trail of murder victims in their wake. And when Astrea becomes a target, a dear friend gets caught in the crossfire…

As Astrea and Varojin begin searching for answers, they realize there is much more to the emperor’s project than political niceties. If the shadows aren’t stopped, Astrea’s future—and the security of the entire continent—hangs in the balance.

©2023 H.E. Bauman (P)2024 H.E. Bauman

A Magical Adventure You Don't Want to Miss!

Book review:
HE Bauman's post-industrial society filled with elemental magic was such a fun world to dive into. I loved getting to follow Astrea, our FMC and resident librarian, as she is tasked to not only worked a diplomatic mission for the crown, but do it with her estranged childhood friend (ouch). H.E. does a wonder job of taking this plot and taking the reader on a twisty tale of shifting politics, murder, secrets, and romance. Honestly, it checked all the boxes for me. The book is a wonderful split between H.E.'s realistic character development and twisty plot.

I love love love the developing relationship between Astrea and Jin -- childhood friends to reluctant allies (well, on Astrea's part) to maybe more. H.E. Bauman has a way of writing these delicious tension-filled and emotional couples that I just cannot help but root for. I also a huge fan of the side characters that make up their found family crew from Jin's sister to Cress to some others we meet along the way.
I also love the diversity of the characters from Astrea as a neurodiverse FMC to H.E.'s queer normative society.

This series truly kept me on my toes as I followed Astrea and Jin on their mad dash to unmask a killer -- though by the end you'll start to realize that there is much more going than a simple murder mystery. And you will happily follow these to over the steep drop that is the cliffhanger at the end. But don't worry, book 2 is already out and you can feel free to binge it.

Audio review:
I listened to the audio of this book, so I couldn't not shout out Brielle Rose, the narrator. Brielle did a wonderful job giving each of the characters distinct voices and as well as making sure the voices and accents were discernible. She really does an amazing job delivering a lively performance that keeps the reader engrossed in the story and the characters.

Fantasy romance post industrial

I enjoyed listening to this audiobook, the narrator brought the characters to life. I had a great time listening to this audiobook: highly recommended!

Amazing Narration

Astrea is the main character and we get to learn about her inner thoughts which in my opinion drives this audio book( Brielle Rose) ! If you enjoy a slow pace and burn romance this is something to check out. This story is high fantasy for sure. I enjoyed listening to this audiobook.

Excellent Narration and an Unputdownable Story!

I really enjoyed this book. Narration by Brielle Rose was sooo good. She really caught all the emotional energy and physical exhaustion from the characters. The story itself....The characters were great, the pacing was on point, the magic was neat, the mystery about what was going on was perfect! I think there would have been more depth to the romance subplot with a dual POV but that would’ve just added to the book. Definitely not a negative that it didn’t have one. Clearly the MMC had it bad and the FMC still had him solidly in the friend zone. I really enjoyed this one! Can’t wait to hop into book 2!!!

Wonderful!

This is a slow-burning, richly woven fantasy that combines gaslamp elements with a traditional magic system. Astrea is a junior librarian who has hidden her magic following her uncle’s vision that foretold her death in battle. Mages are conscripted to the military in this world. However, her quiet life is upended when she is reassigned to a diplomatic project, forcing her to confront her past with her former best friend and returned war hero, Prince Jin.

Bauman takes her time in building the world, explaining the magic system and setting the stage for the unfolding drama. The pacing is deliberate, gradually escalating the tension and drawing readers into the complex political landscape. For those who enjoy a story that allows them to fully immerse themselves in the setting and get to know the characters, this approach is a welcome one, though it might be slower for readers seeking immediate action.

The characters are the best part. The slow-burn romance and the estranged friends-to-lovers trope are handled well. The relationship feels earned and satisfying. Bauman excels in character development, not just for the leads but also for the supporting cast. Each character feels well-rounded and integral to the plot.

The mystery aspect is equally compelling. The shadows stalking the city and the trail of murder victims add a layer of suspense. As Astrea and Jin delve into the investigation, the slowly evolving mystery made me eager for them to piece together the clues.

If you enjoy a story that gradually builds its intrigue and has a lot of emotional depth, this book is definitely worth a read. And the audiobook is beautifully done! HIGHLY recommend the audio version.

Thanks to R&R Booktours and the author for the copy. This review is based on a complimentary pre-released copy and it is voluntary.

addicting romantasy

Alright. Buckle up, kids. It's time to talk about this series.

Book one ate me ALIVE.

Astrea and Varojin are so cute I just want to squeeze them. Jin really deserves a good talking to in the beginning, BUT he is a very good boy, so hold on to that while you read.

Cressida and Eliana are the best friends a girl could ask for, and my FAVORITE quote comes from the two of them giving Astrea Sugar Honey Iced Tea in only a way a best friend can.

There's conspiracy, schmurder, MAGIC. Honestly, this book is just sooo good. I listened to the audiobook, and Brielle Rose does an AMAZING job of bringing all the characters to life.

This series will DEFINITELY be on my list of books I re-listen every year (at least). UDS reminds me how powerful books and knowledge are and just reaffirms that I should've been a librarian.

Easy to get lost in!

This story was so easy to slip right into and it effortlessly captures and holds your attention the entire way through. There's mystery, romance, political intrigue and secrets, found family and strong friendships, action, spying, tension, and so much more. The flow is perfect, the characters are realistic and not whiny, the worldbuilding is top tier, the narration is amazing and the writing is great! Overall this is a just a really good fantasy romance book, with dystopian and steampunk vibes!

Immersive & Adventurous

I’m immediately hitting play on the next book after this. What an incredible journey!! The story was so immersive and the narrator’s voice was very soothing to me. There’s so many twist and turns that I didn’t expect, and the characters are so lovable!

Excellent story and narration

I was so excited to listen to this book. A librarian with a secret, and in need of some serious mental health help? Yes please, can relate. A sweet, handsome,and patient hero? Give me more. Supportive friends and family willing to lie and die for you? Here for it. The characters are not perfect, which makes them even more lovable. I am excited to see them grow and change.

So far the plot has seemed a little slow for my attention span. But I think it's intentional to give us the slow burn and build up that we need to see us through the action. There is definitely an air of mystery about the plot instead of fast-paced, actioned-packed adventure.

The world building has been awesome. A wonderful mixture of magic and modern technology. The history has been very interesting and I can see it getting more in depth as the story is continued. I'm excited to see where this goes in book 2!

This book is phenomenal!

“Under Darkened Skies” by H.E. Bauman is the first book in the Darkened Skies Saga. The books follow Astrea and Varojin (Az and Jin) along with Ellie, Cress, Adi, and Nicos as they are trying to figure out why there are suddenly shadows showing up around the city, specifically on recently dead bodies. As they are working through this, they are also having to face the void of eight years of friendship while Jin was away fighting for his father, Emperor Aelius. There is magic, both hidden and well-known, romance, adventure, comedy, and so much more!

Okay, I really, really loved this book!!! I fell in love with this author’s writing when I read her newest book, “The Sundered Stars.” While this is her first book, the writing was not lacking in any way! I still enjoyed it just as much, and I’m so excited the rest of this series is already out!! Bauman does such a phenomenal job at progressing the story just right and keeping you engaged throughout. Also, her slow burn romances are not excruciating and painful. They progress in a logical way. The banter in her books is perfect and provides moments of chuckles in the midst of the danger going on.

The world building is also very well done! This is a fantasy with modern technologies. However, the world it’s in is completely of her own creation. I was able to picture everything that was going on without it being overly detailed. Also, there was movement in the story. They didn’t just stay in one place. They traveled all over the city of Kalama and even traveled to a neighboring city and explored there as well!

The characters in the story were absolutely wonderful as well. Something that I look for is how an author portrays all the variations of relationships that a single character may have. No two interactions are going to be identical. I really felt this was well executed throughout the story. Each relationship between characters had its own nuances that hinted towards the type of relationship between them. Some were close like siblings, others parental, and then even distant but courteous. The characters themselves kept their personalities through all of these interactions. Something else, all the main characters are lovable. None of them truly got on my nerves. Any of their “bad habits” were explained by some past encounter.

As this is an audiobook review, I also need to comment on the narration. Brielle Rose did a phenomenal job! My only struggle was the very beginning. She ended sentences a little breathy. However, once she got into the story that went away and I was completely swept into the story! She had different tones and voices for the different characters, and her pace was excellent! I typically have to listen at 1.2x speed as I’m a fast reader, but I was able to listen at normal speed the entire time! This is the only book series on Audible that she’s listed on, so this may be her first narration. If so, then she really did such an excellent job! Her narration alone I rate at a 4.75 stars. (Again, it would be a five if the beginning had been a little more fluid).

Overall, “Under Darkened Skies” by H.E. Bauman is a well-rounded, action-packed, fantasy romance that everyone needs to pick up and read! As far as content, it is intended for adults. There is cursing, although not overwhelming, and, in this book, just kissing. However, I do know from the dialogue in this book, and from what I’ve seen, there are going to be open door bedroom scenes in the later novels in the series. I don’t really know what else to say other than GO BUY THIS BOOK!!!!