Fires of the Forsaken

Across Time, Book 1

By: Stephanie E. Donohue

Narrated by: Erin Chmela

Addie wanted a gosh-darn pizza. Lass wanted to avoid being cooked over a spit. Neither figured they’d end up with a one-way ticket to the end of days.

Addie did not have “getting plucked from the 21st century and thrown into a rudimentary fantasy world” on her “fun things to do at 30” checklist. Yet here she is, struggling to survive in the hellscape known as Sakar, a place where Wraiths flame-broil humans and Celestial armies wage war with each other over a centuries-old spat. Thankfully Cheriour, the hunky commander of the human army, takes her under his wing—although he’s allergic to giving straight answers. And talking.

As Addie reluctantly starts to care for him and the rest of the Sakarians, she also learns why she was sent to this world. And it’s a doozy....

The violent society of Sakar is the only home Lass has ever known, and it’s been a wretched one. She has spent her life being tormented and twisted into an inhuman hybrid by the Celestials, and hunted by the humans who fear her. But she finds solace with a cocky, blue-eyed boy who comforts her, even after she accidentally slaughters innocents.

As Lass struggles to control her volatile powers, she slowly transforms into the monster the humans believe her to be. And even the boy she loves is in peril.

At the end of time, there is only fire. And neither Addie nor Lass will escape unscathed.

©2023 Stephanie E. Donohue (P)2025 Stephanie E. Donohue

Fun new idea for a story!

Fun new idea! Fantasy mixed with new age. Erin Chmela puts on a fantastic show. Helps you really embody the story.

My new obsession

I can’t say this enough: if you pick this one up, go for the dual narration audiobook. Having Lass’s past layered into Addie’s chaotic present made the story hit even harder on both counts.

This book is SO dark. The world is apocalyptic, brutal, and relentlessly bleak; soulless monsters, venomous horses, war tearing humanity apart. But Addie’s humor made it more palatable. Her sarcasm is pitch-perfect, giving levity to a twisted setting and making it so much easier to sink into the story. Honestly, it’s exactly how any of us would handle being dropped into a fantasy hellscape: badly, but with jokes.

And the romance? Completely caught me off guard. Cheriour is soft-spoken, gentle, incredibly kind, and not at all the type you expect to be center-stage; he gave total “side character” energy for this genre. I was THRILLED when he turned out to be the actual love interest. Their relationship was unique, slow-burning, and surprisingly tender against the backdrop of carnage and chaos.

The worldbuilding is complex and grim, and while I loved nearly every moment, I’ll admit the ending felt a little messier. It was clearly designed as a hook into what comes next, but it left me more confused than intrigued. Still, that didn’t take away from how much fun I had with this story.

Fires of the Forsaken is sharp, hilarious, and devastating all at once; a perfect pick if you want gallows humor to soften the darkness and a romance that feels refreshingly different. Highly recommend this one!

Thank you so much to R&R Booktours and the author for the complimentary copies of both books. I'm diving into the next immediately! This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.