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The Obsidian Academy Duet #2
Tides of Secrets
“Logic bows at the throne of obsession.”
When Wren discovers a body and Castien in the tunnels on the same night, she’s certain she’ll never be able to trust him again. But that doesn’t mean she no longer needs him.
In order to discover the killer taking down their fellow students, Wren is forced to rely on Castien’s strategic mind and his knowledge of the Obsidian Order.
Wren wants nothing more than a cordial alliance, but Castien is intent on winning much more than her loyalty. He longs for her heart.
As they learn to trust each other again, the secret of Wren’s stolen journal looms over their fragile happiness like a storm cloud on the horizon.
Will they be able to withstand the tempestuous winds, or will they be ripped apart in the end?
Find out in Tides of Secrets, the epic conclusion of the Obsidian Academy Duet, a love story tinged with obsession and drenched in yearning.
When Wren discovers a body and Castien in the tunnels on the same night, she’s certain she’ll never be able to trust him again. But that doesn’t mean she no longer needs him.
In order to discover the killer taking down their fellow students, Wren is forced to rely on Castien’s strategic mind and his knowledge of the Obsidian Order.
Wren wants nothing more than a cordial alliance, but Castien is intent on winning much more than her loyalty. He longs for her heart.
As they learn to trust each other again, the secret of Wren’s stolen journal looms over their fragile happiness like a storm cloud on the horizon.
Will they be able to withstand the tempestuous winds, or will they be ripped apart in the end?
Find out in Tides of Secrets, the epic conclusion of the Obsidian Academy Duet, a love story tinged with obsession and drenched in yearning.
342 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 31, 2026
117 people are currently reading
462 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 114 reviews
March 29, 2026
⭐️6
Annah did absolutely incredible in this book!
Her writing and everything about it is absolutely amazing. I cannot stop thinking about Castien, Wren, and Finnick.
I loved everything about it! The characters, the plot, the emotional rollercoaster…I loved it all.
Castien and Wren went through horrible things yet they’re still standing. Because of each other. Because she was his light in the darkness and he was hers. They loved each other so fervently and fiercely, it just melted my heart.
Castien the man that he is!👏🏼👏🏼 He was so loving and patient and caring and obsessed with Wren. His heart belonged to her from the beginning. Even when she didn’t know it.
Wren. She’s amazing. I respect the woman that she has become. I admire the quiet strength that she has and I absolutely love that Castien did his best to show her that she IS strong. That she is NOT broken. That she is enough.
They’re perfect for each other.
Fin, aka my favorite side character EVER, I love him so much. I loved how loyal and caring he is with Castien. Their banter and friendship was one of the my favorite parts in the entire book. And I am so so sorry for what happened to him. But I love that he had Castien to help him survive.♥️
And the ending😭 Don’t get me wrong it was a happily ever after but what was that Annah?😭 I was destroyed. What happened broke my heart and that Castien is blaming himself for it? Broke my heart again. (PS I loved it)
All of them deserved better.♥️ But I was so happy that Wren was there for them.
I absolutely adore this book🥹
favorite moments:
- Castien giving his dagger to Wren
- when she took care of him when he was ill
- when Castien called her ‘Storyteller’ or ‘dearest’
- when he helped her with a panic attack and made sure she was okay to continue their investigation
- Castien comforting Wren after the nightmare
- Castiens letter in her brothers journal
- their first kiss!!
- him rescuing her in the tunnels
- Wren having Castien say “This was not my fault.” 😭
- the epilogue
- “We have forever.” 🥹
tropes:
🤎dark academia
🕯️soft FMC x protective MMC
🤎secrets & mystery
🕯️nicknames
🤎allll the yearning
🕯️he falls first
🤎slow burn
🕯️”I’ve got you.”
🤎nightmare trope
🕯️sword fighting lessons
🤎dual pov
TW: mention of SA, slight gore, death, m^rder, ptsd
CONTENT:
- kisses only (closed door)
- no language
⋆ ── favorite quotes:
The loss of her words would be unbearable. He had come to rely on them. They were his air and water. Vital. Necessary for survival in this shadowy landscape.
── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ── ── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ── ── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ──
“For someone who hates me, you spend quite a lot of time in my arms.”
── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ── ── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ── ── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ──
He deserved her contempt. Her ire. A dagger through the heart if she so wished. Yet still he yearned and longed to see her forgiveness and trust blossom.
── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ── ── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ── ── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ──
There was little Castien would not do for Wren.
── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ── ── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ── ── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ──
Castien saw her hand move in his peripheral vision, then felt the cool edge of a blade against his neck. “What a creative way to thank me,” he teased.
Her smile widened into something playful that made his stomach flip. “I do not think I’ll ever have the opportunity to best you, so I thought I’d pretend I did for a moment. I would say I’m shocked you did not stop me, but I know how little of a threat I pose to you.”
He smiled down at her, incapable of holding back in the presence of her joy. “You are more of a threat than you know, dearest.”
── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ── ── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ── ── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ──
Tides, he loved her. He was irrevocably in love with Wren, in the most hopeless manner. Tears burned in Castien’s eyes, a foreign feeling for him after years of suppression. He’d have done anything she asked during the interrogation, not out of duty or justice, but because he loved her. The overwhelming desire to ensure she never cried again was a flower rooted in an entire garden of utter devotion. His heart thrummed, each beat a declaration of his feelings.
── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ── ── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ── ── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ──
Tides, she loved him. So much so that she wanted his healing more than her own. If she could take all of his grief away and bear it for him, she would.
── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ── ── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ── ── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ──
Annah did absolutely incredible in this book!
Her writing and everything about it is absolutely amazing. I cannot stop thinking about Castien, Wren, and Finnick.
I loved everything about it! The characters, the plot, the emotional rollercoaster…I loved it all.
Castien and Wren went through horrible things yet they’re still standing. Because of each other. Because she was his light in the darkness and he was hers. They loved each other so fervently and fiercely, it just melted my heart.
Castien the man that he is!👏🏼👏🏼 He was so loving and patient and caring and obsessed with Wren. His heart belonged to her from the beginning. Even when she didn’t know it.
Wren. She’s amazing. I respect the woman that she has become. I admire the quiet strength that she has and I absolutely love that Castien did his best to show her that she IS strong. That she is NOT broken. That she is enough.
They’re perfect for each other.
Fin, aka my favorite side character EVER, I love him so much. I loved how loyal and caring he is with Castien. Their banter and friendship was one of the my favorite parts in the entire book. And I am so so sorry for what happened to him. But I love that he had Castien to help him survive.♥️
And the ending😭 Don’t get me wrong it was a happily ever after but what was that Annah?😭 I was destroyed. What happened broke my heart and that Castien is blaming himself for it? Broke my heart again. (PS I loved it)
All of them deserved better.♥️ But I was so happy that Wren was there for them.
I absolutely adore this book🥹
favorite moments:
- Castien giving his dagger to Wren
- when she took care of him when he was ill
- when Castien called her ‘Storyteller’ or ‘dearest’
- when he helped her with a panic attack and made sure she was okay to continue their investigation
- Castien comforting Wren after the nightmare
- Castiens letter in her brothers journal
- their first kiss!!
- him rescuing her in the tunnels
- Wren having Castien say “This was not my fault.” 😭
- the epilogue
- “We have forever.” 🥹
tropes:
🤎dark academia
🕯️soft FMC x protective MMC
🤎secrets & mystery
🕯️nicknames
🤎allll the yearning
🕯️he falls first
🤎slow burn
🕯️”I’ve got you.”
🤎nightmare trope
🕯️sword fighting lessons
🤎dual pov
TW: mention of SA, slight gore, death, m^rder, ptsd
CONTENT:
- kisses only (closed door)
- no language
⋆ ── favorite quotes:
The loss of her words would be unbearable. He had come to rely on them. They were his air and water. Vital. Necessary for survival in this shadowy landscape.
── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ── ── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ── ── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ──
“For someone who hates me, you spend quite a lot of time in my arms.”
── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ── ── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ── ── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ──
He deserved her contempt. Her ire. A dagger through the heart if she so wished. Yet still he yearned and longed to see her forgiveness and trust blossom.
── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ── ── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ── ── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ──
There was little Castien would not do for Wren.
── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ── ── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ── ── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ──
Castien saw her hand move in his peripheral vision, then felt the cool edge of a blade against his neck. “What a creative way to thank me,” he teased.
Her smile widened into something playful that made his stomach flip. “I do not think I’ll ever have the opportunity to best you, so I thought I’d pretend I did for a moment. I would say I’m shocked you did not stop me, but I know how little of a threat I pose to you.”
He smiled down at her, incapable of holding back in the presence of her joy. “You are more of a threat than you know, dearest.”
── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ── ── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ── ── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ──
Tides, he loved her. He was irrevocably in love with Wren, in the most hopeless manner. Tears burned in Castien’s eyes, a foreign feeling for him after years of suppression. He’d have done anything she asked during the interrogation, not out of duty or justice, but because he loved her. The overwhelming desire to ensure she never cried again was a flower rooted in an entire garden of utter devotion. His heart thrummed, each beat a declaration of his feelings.
── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ── ── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ── ── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ──
Tides, she loved him. So much so that she wanted his healing more than her own. If she could take all of his grief away and bear it for him, she would.
── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ── ── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ── ── ⋆⋅𖤓⋅⋆ ──
Read
March 31, 2026"We have forever."
Tides of Secrets by A. R. Conwell
Dearest Ms. Conwell,
I'm sitting here in utter shock. Words have completely fled my mind. Because no words can adequately describe the beauty of the ending of this beautifully poetic duology.
Healing from emotional scars. Devastation. Mystery. Moody atmosphere. Yearning and exquisitely elegant romance.
Castien and Wren together are perfection. I felt so many emotions while reading this book. The healing from her scars is so tenderly cared to by the author through Castien's deeds and words; I found my heart aching and healing right alongside her, though I have never experienced the same type of heartache and hurt.
How she helps him to begin to heal from his grief and self-guilt is also beautifully done. I loved them working together to solve the mystery enshrouding the academy.
The set of side characters who made up their friends were so well written, who can't help but long to see them get their happy endings and their own POV stories.
Even the villains were well developed and will really surprise you. I had no idea how everything would play out in the end.
Very perfectly done Romantasy I will be reading over and over again in the future. I wish I could give it more than 5 stars because it definitely deserves all the hype and love! I highly recommend this one and the first book to anyone ages 16+, unless you are sensitive to certain topics. See my content guide.
Yours,
Holly
Favorite Parts:
More yearning
She takes care of him
Solving the murders
Dagger lessons
Mystery and suspense
Their letters
His apology letters
That ending!
Finnick-I love his character and am so excited for his story!
Castien and Wren together=perfection
Healing and Emotions
The Whole Beautiful Book
Content Guide:
Language: none
Sexual Content: Closed-door/kissing only: Kissing is passionate but not overly detailed (no tongue, more emotional based); Sexual Assault alluded to in the past-the author handles this sensitive topic very delicately and in a beautiful, hopeful way.
Violence/gore: Moderate-fire; multiple dead bodies described as being ripped open or body part removed; death on page; character gets stabbed twice and throat slashed (on page) and blood hits the floor, character has a nightmare where she recalls what happened to her, though no specific details are given (SA); The author handles this sensitive topic very delicately and in a beautiful, hopeful way.
Substance Use: Mild-Characters drink wine at social events
Prejudices: none
Religious Content: none
Other: See notes above, death, immense grief from loss, healing from emotional wounds (on page)
Book Info:
Series: Obsidian Academy Duet book 2 (must be read in order)
Genre: Dark Romantasy ages 16+
Romance Level: Closed-door but kisses only
Release Date: Available Now
Publisher: Indie
POV: Dual third person
Thank you to the author for the review copy. All thoughts are my own.
Tides of Secrets by A. R. Conwell
Dearest Ms. Conwell,
I'm sitting here in utter shock. Words have completely fled my mind. Because no words can adequately describe the beauty of the ending of this beautifully poetic duology.
Healing from emotional scars. Devastation. Mystery. Moody atmosphere. Yearning and exquisitely elegant romance.
Castien and Wren together are perfection. I felt so many emotions while reading this book. The healing from her scars is so tenderly cared to by the author through Castien's deeds and words; I found my heart aching and healing right alongside her, though I have never experienced the same type of heartache and hurt.
How she helps him to begin to heal from his grief and self-guilt is also beautifully done. I loved them working together to solve the mystery enshrouding the academy.
The set of side characters who made up their friends were so well written, who can't help but long to see them get their happy endings and their own POV stories.
Even the villains were well developed and will really surprise you. I had no idea how everything would play out in the end.
Very perfectly done Romantasy I will be reading over and over again in the future. I wish I could give it more than 5 stars because it definitely deserves all the hype and love! I highly recommend this one and the first book to anyone ages 16+, unless you are sensitive to certain topics. See my content guide.
Yours,
Holly
Favorite Parts:
More yearning
She takes care of him
Solving the murders
Dagger lessons
Mystery and suspense
Their letters
His apology letters
That ending!
Finnick-I love his character and am so excited for his story!
Castien and Wren together=perfection
Healing and Emotions
The Whole Beautiful Book
Content Guide:
Language: none
Sexual Content: Closed-door/kissing only: Kissing is passionate but not overly detailed (no tongue, more emotional based); Sexual Assault alluded to in the past-the author handles this sensitive topic very delicately and in a beautiful, hopeful way.
Violence/gore: Moderate-fire; multiple dead bodies described as being ripped open or body part removed; death on page; character gets stabbed twice and throat slashed (on page) and blood hits the floor, character has a nightmare where she recalls what happened to her, though no specific details are given (SA); The author handles this sensitive topic very delicately and in a beautiful, hopeful way.
Substance Use: Mild-Characters drink wine at social events
Prejudices: none
Religious Content: none
Other: See notes above, death, immense grief from loss, healing from emotional wounds (on page)
Book Info:
Series: Obsidian Academy Duet book 2 (must be read in order)
Genre: Dark Romantasy ages 16+
Romance Level: Closed-door but kisses only
Release Date: Available Now
Publisher: Indie
POV: Dual third person
Thank you to the author for the review copy. All thoughts are my own.
Read
March 8, 2026I had the privilege of proofreading this, and IT IS SO INCREDIBLE! Literally had me sitting in my feels after I finished it.
You will find murder, death, and vague recollections of s*xual abuse in this book, but there is SO MUCH BEAUTIFUL HEALING as well.
You will find murder, death, and vague recollections of s*xual abuse in this book, but there is SO MUCH BEAUTIFUL HEALING as well.
Review of advance copy received from Author
thank you SO much A R Conwell and her team for the privilege having Tides of Secrets as an ARC. I absolutely loved being in the halls of the Obsidian Academy again. Book releases March 31st.
Below is my honest review:
5 stars!
This was STUNNING.
This is the second book in the Obsidian Academy duet and we pick up right where we left off. Wren is navigating a web of murders and stolen secrets while deciding who she can truly trust. As the shadows within the Academy grow more lethal with more of the Order murdered, she and Castien are forced into an uneasy alliance to unmask a killer with a unique calling card hiding in plain sight. It is a dark academia romantasy that balances a slow-burn, enemies/rivals to lovers romance with yearning, a desperate hunt for the truth, and to defeat the haunting ghosts of past traumas. The murder mystery had just enough clues to keep me guessing without it feeling predictable. The side characters were excellent I absolutely adore (names redacted bc of potential spoilers), but my absolute favorite part of this book was the thoughtful and attentive romance.
Castien and Wrens romance was EVERYTHING I wanted and more especially after the build up we saw in Ocean of Ink. They’re truly one of my new favorite book couples. They felt like a blend of Elizabeth and Darcy (Pride and Prejudice) and Ella and Kit (live action Cinderella) in the best ways. Their romance was just so real and raw and intense. They supported each other and shined light into each other’s darkness. Castien was absolutely obsessed with Wren and his love for her was so patient and so caring. The yearning? I can’t. I absolutely adored him. Wren was also so thoughtful with quiet strength that grew into confidence and an ability to help Castien process grief. Her story was handled with sensitivity and care and protection. I consumed their letters and Castien’s terms of endearment like air in my lunges. His storyteller. My dearest. My dear storyteller. Your sword and shield. My love. IM SCREAMING. Their first kiss !!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey, Annah… you know what you did at 85% and it wasn’t nice and I just need you to know I’m still brokenhearted.
Do we have a certain side character and cousins book on the horizon to look forward to? PLEASEEEEE.
TW: rape/sexual assault (recounted), past traumas, grief, loss, murder, mystery, violence, descriptions of blood and wounds, battles, weapons, mental health struggles, depression, anxiety, haunting emotional trauma, emotional recovery, no language, no spice - some kissing
Enemies/Rivals to lovers. Slow burn. Found family. Forced proximity. He falls first. Third person POV. Dual POV. No spice/closed door.
Below is my honest review:
5 stars!
This was STUNNING.
This is the second book in the Obsidian Academy duet and we pick up right where we left off. Wren is navigating a web of murders and stolen secrets while deciding who she can truly trust. As the shadows within the Academy grow more lethal with more of the Order murdered, she and Castien are forced into an uneasy alliance to unmask a killer with a unique calling card hiding in plain sight. It is a dark academia romantasy that balances a slow-burn, enemies/rivals to lovers romance with yearning, a desperate hunt for the truth, and to defeat the haunting ghosts of past traumas. The murder mystery had just enough clues to keep me guessing without it feeling predictable. The side characters were excellent I absolutely adore (names redacted bc of potential spoilers), but my absolute favorite part of this book was the thoughtful and attentive romance.
Castien and Wrens romance was EVERYTHING I wanted and more especially after the build up we saw in Ocean of Ink. They’re truly one of my new favorite book couples. They felt like a blend of Elizabeth and Darcy (Pride and Prejudice) and Ella and Kit (live action Cinderella) in the best ways. Their romance was just so real and raw and intense. They supported each other and shined light into each other’s darkness. Castien was absolutely obsessed with Wren and his love for her was so patient and so caring. The yearning? I can’t. I absolutely adored him. Wren was also so thoughtful with quiet strength that grew into confidence and an ability to help Castien process grief. Her story was handled with sensitivity and care and protection. I consumed their letters and Castien’s terms of endearment like air in my lunges. His storyteller. My dearest. My dear storyteller. Your sword and shield. My love. IM SCREAMING. Their first kiss !!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey, Annah… you know what you did at 85% and it wasn’t nice and I just need you to know I’m still brokenhearted.
Do we have a certain side character and cousins book on the horizon to look forward to? PLEASEEEEE.
TW: rape/sexual assault (recounted), past traumas, grief, loss, murder, mystery, violence, descriptions of blood and wounds, battles, weapons, mental health struggles, depression, anxiety, haunting emotional trauma, emotional recovery, no language, no spice - some kissing
Enemies/Rivals to lovers. Slow burn. Found family. Forced proximity. He falls first. Third person POV. Dual POV. No spice/closed door.
![Profile Image for ezra [semi ia].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1761881301i%2F177253884._UX200_CR0%2C17%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
April 4, 2026
⁺.︶꒷꒦˖⁺”𝓌𝒽ℯ𝓉𝒽ℯ𝓇 𝓎ℴ𝓊 𝒷ℯ𝓁𝒾ℯ𝓋ℯ 𝓎ℴ𝓊 𝒸𝒶𝓃 ℴ𝓇 𝓎ℴ𝓊 𝒸𝒶𝓃’𝓉, 𝓎ℴ𝓊’𝓇ℯ 𝓇𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉...”˖⁺.+
⁺.+☆︶꒷꒦︶︶꒷꒦︶︶꒷꒦˖⁺.+
oh. my. gosh.
first off… FIVE FULL STARS ˖ׄ ★ ୭
second off—this book is absolutely amazing and perfect in the fullest of the words. these characters have a piece of my heart, this world is forever one of my favorites, and don’t even get me started on those heartwrenching letters because—yeah….their amazing and had me feeling all the feels for these characters.
this book—i felt—was certainly more about wren and castien’s relationship and character growth. and i am NOT complaining. one. bit. oh my gosh there were times when i was so anxious about was was going to happen next I had to just stare into space to collect myself, hehe. it was that good
⌣⌣⌣⌣⌣⌣⌣
plot/setting જ⁀➴
⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢
perfection. i strive to write like her now. like, this world?! so, so unique and original in my opinion. everything was described and written so well that it played out like a movie in my head. PERFECTION.
also the mystery aspect that picked back up from the first book…you guys HAVE to read this for the reveal cause it was insane!
⌣⌣⌣⌣⌣⌣⌣
characters જ⁀➴
⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢
⁺.︶꒷꒦˖⁺ wren ⤦
i literally love her. like, girl, can i give you a hug? her past was crazy, and the character growth from that pain was awesome! not gonna give to many details cause i want you guys to read it for yourselves, but honestly this was probably one of the most unique—IN THE BEST WAYS POSSIBLE—character arc i’ve ever read. LOVE YOU WREN!
⁺.︶꒷꒦˖⁺ castien ⤦
MY MAN MY MAN. oh my gosh. again. i love him so much and i just want to give him a hug. best person ever. respectful, loving, caring. this guy checks off all of the boxes and i was sooo here for it.
⁺.︶꒷꒦˖⁺ finn ⤦
he made me laugh. and I want to give him a hug too. love ya, finn.
⁺.+☆︶꒷꒦︶︶꒷꒦︶︶꒷꒦˖⁺.+
anywho, that is my rambling review. annah, i love your books, that’s all i gotta say. and please, PLEASE MY BESTIES PICK UP THIS BOOK AS SOON AS YOU CAN. and if you haven’t read ocean of ink yet…..WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! RUN TO YOUR KINDLE OR AMAZON AND BUY AND READ THIS BOOK QUICKLY! LIKE, YOUR-LIFE-DEPENDS-ON-IT-QUICKLY.
okay, i’m done rambling. to sum this jumble of a review up…i love this book, and these characters have my whole heart:))
⁺.+☆︶꒷꒦︶︶꒷꒦︶︶꒷꒦˖⁺.+
oh. my. gosh.
first off… FIVE FULL STARS ˖ׄ ★ ୭
second off—this book is absolutely amazing and perfect in the fullest of the words. these characters have a piece of my heart, this world is forever one of my favorites, and don’t even get me started on those heartwrenching letters because—yeah….their amazing and had me feeling all the feels for these characters.
this book—i felt—was certainly more about wren and castien’s relationship and character growth. and i am NOT complaining. one. bit. oh my gosh there were times when i was so anxious about was was going to happen next I had to just stare into space to collect myself, hehe. it was that good
⌣⌣⌣⌣⌣⌣⌣
plot/setting જ⁀➴
⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢
perfection. i strive to write like her now. like, this world?! so, so unique and original in my opinion. everything was described and written so well that it played out like a movie in my head. PERFECTION.
also the mystery aspect that picked back up from the first book…you guys HAVE to read this for the reveal cause it was insane!
⌣⌣⌣⌣⌣⌣⌣
characters જ⁀➴
⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢⌢
⁺.︶꒷꒦˖⁺ wren ⤦
i literally love her. like, girl, can i give you a hug? her past was crazy, and the character growth from that pain was awesome! not gonna give to many details cause i want you guys to read it for yourselves, but honestly this was probably one of the most unique—IN THE BEST WAYS POSSIBLE—character arc i’ve ever read. LOVE YOU WREN!
⁺.︶꒷꒦˖⁺ castien ⤦
MY MAN MY MAN. oh my gosh. again. i love him so much and i just want to give him a hug. best person ever. respectful, loving, caring. this guy checks off all of the boxes and i was sooo here for it.
⁺.︶꒷꒦˖⁺ finn ⤦
he made me laugh. and I want to give him a hug too. love ya, finn.
⁺.+☆︶꒷꒦︶︶꒷꒦︶︶꒷꒦˖⁺.+
anywho, that is my rambling review. annah, i love your books, that’s all i gotta say. and please, PLEASE MY BESTIES PICK UP THIS BOOK AS SOON AS YOU CAN. and if you haven’t read ocean of ink yet…..WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! RUN TO YOUR KINDLE OR AMAZON AND BUY AND READ THIS BOOK QUICKLY! LIKE, YOUR-LIFE-DEPENDS-ON-IT-QUICKLY.
okay, i’m done rambling. to sum this jumble of a review up…i love this book, and these characters have my whole heart:))
April 2, 2026
Sigh.
I was looking forward to this story and to the resolution of the romance and mystery, and to Wren coming to terms with her traumas. Unfortunately, I am leaving the story largely unsatisfied. I appreciate , but the romance became too lovey-dovey for me. It didn’t feel as sincere as I know it could have. It was like the writing was trying too hard. The writing style was often good, thoughtful, or effective, but other times it veered into inauthentic territory. I am not sure the rest of the story and what Wren was grappling with matched the cheesiness.
Another big factor to the romance disappointing me was that Castien didn’t have a character arc or enough flaws, and he couldn’t find fault with anything Wren did, and there just was not enough of a dynamic left between them. I don’t need constant friction or anything, but were not enough to carry the whole romance to the end of the book. Maybe they needed a C-plot to focus on while the A-plot was dormant.
The side characters were barely there. This book was mostly just Wren, Castien, and Finn (and Heathcliff/Blossom, I guess), and I think that was a mistake. Her other friends did a lot for the first book, and so did the professors. I don’t know. It was easy to forget that they were in an academy taking classes.
We also had zero resolution with
Am I nitpicking now? Do I need to be stopped?
I enjoyed the first 30-40 percent, but after that I just slowly stopped caring. I wanted to love this, but I did not. Even so, I liked Ocean of Ink enough I will give the author another chance.
I was looking forward to this story and to the resolution of the romance and mystery, and to Wren coming to terms with her traumas. Unfortunately, I am leaving the story largely unsatisfied. I appreciate , but the romance became too lovey-dovey for me. It didn’t feel as sincere as I know it could have. It was like the writing was trying too hard. The writing style was often good, thoughtful, or effective, but other times it veered into inauthentic territory. I am not sure the rest of the story and what Wren was grappling with matched the cheesiness.
Another big factor to the romance disappointing me was that Castien didn’t have a character arc or enough flaws, and he couldn’t find fault with anything Wren did, and there just was not enough of a dynamic left between them. I don’t need constant friction or anything, but were not enough to carry the whole romance to the end of the book. Maybe they needed a C-plot to focus on while the A-plot was dormant.
The side characters were barely there. This book was mostly just Wren, Castien, and Finn (and Heathcliff/Blossom, I guess), and I think that was a mistake. Her other friends did a lot for the first book, and so did the professors. I don’t know. It was easy to forget that they were in an academy taking classes.
We also had zero resolution with
Am I nitpicking now? Do I need to be stopped?
I enjoyed the first 30-40 percent, but after that I just slowly stopped caring. I wanted to love this, but I did not. Even so, I liked Ocean of Ink enough I will give the author another chance.
March 31, 2026
A fulfilling and heart pounding resolution to the Obsidian Academy Duet! While I loved Ocean of Ink, this book was by far my favorite of the two. Watching Wren work through the difficult things in her past and how much Castien loved her through it just melted my heart.
The poignant themes of beauty amidst pain and hard things shine bright lights into these characters lives. Wren and Castien both grow so much throughout this book and I loved their romance so much! I loved Finn almost more than any other character, his tender heart and humorous quips added some levity to this book full of twists and turns.
I can’t wait to reread this series so I can annotate all my favorite parts!
CONTENT CONSIDERATIONS
Mentions of death, murder, and grief. Grief of a sibling (past loss), brief descriptions of bodies being mutilated after death, depictions of panic attacks/anxiety.
I receive an ARC copy of this book, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
The poignant themes of beauty amidst pain and hard things shine bright lights into these characters lives. Wren and Castien both grow so much throughout this book and I loved their romance so much! I loved Finn almost more than any other character, his tender heart and humorous quips added some levity to this book full of twists and turns.
I can’t wait to reread this series so I can annotate all my favorite parts!
CONTENT CONSIDERATIONS
Mentions of death, murder, and grief. Grief of a sibling (past loss), brief descriptions of bodies being mutilated after death, depictions of panic attacks/anxiety.
I receive an ARC copy of this book, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
April 5, 2026
Ugh I loved this!! The romance was exceptional. Castien yearned harder than Kai Azer himself, and even though Im usually annoyed by male characters like these, he (and Mr. Darcy) are currently my two exceptions.
April 7, 2026
Giving this 4 stars because I did enjoy reading it; however, I don't love it as much as others seem to, and probably for personal reasons more than anything.
The writing style was a bit of an issue for me in both of these books. I feel that the author was trying to make it feel fancy and formal, and as a result, much of the dialogue felt stilted to me. There was a moment in the book where she dropped that, and it was the most genuine scene in the book, in my opinion.
Second, Castien's love for Wren definitely leans more toward obsession than I typically enjoy. I get that his gift makes him prone to that, but there were times it was a bit cringey to me.
As far as content goes:
I've seen multiple bookstagram reviews and recs for this duology, and most don't mention the references to past SA/grooming that are very present in these books. It's nondescriptive; however, it is woven throughout the books, along with the aftermath of that - dark self-talk and thoughts of self-harm, for instance. The author does note that it's dark romantasy at the beginning, and she has a list of TW on her website.
It's also moderately violent, with frequent talk of death (it is a murder mystery, after all) and some descriptions of bodies and wounds. I don't mind a darker story, but if you're sensitive to that kind of content, be aware going in.
No-spice: kisses only, thoughts and feelings of desire.
I realize this doesn't really sound like a 4-star review... I did think the premise and overall storyline of this duology were very interesting, and I enjoyed most of the characters. I'll read the next books set in this world. It kept my interest, and I read it quickly. Just a few things that kept it from being a favorite for me.
The writing style was a bit of an issue for me in both of these books. I feel that the author was trying to make it feel fancy and formal, and as a result, much of the dialogue felt stilted to me. There was a moment in the book where she dropped that, and it was the most genuine scene in the book, in my opinion.
Second, Castien's love for Wren definitely leans more toward obsession than I typically enjoy. I get that his gift makes him prone to that, but there were times it was a bit cringey to me.
As far as content goes:
I've seen multiple bookstagram reviews and recs for this duology, and most don't mention the references to past SA/grooming that are very present in these books. It's nondescriptive; however, it is woven throughout the books, along with the aftermath of that - dark self-talk and thoughts of self-harm, for instance. The author does note that it's dark romantasy at the beginning, and she has a list of TW on her website.
It's also moderately violent, with frequent talk of death (it is a murder mystery, after all) and some descriptions of bodies and wounds. I don't mind a darker story, but if you're sensitive to that kind of content, be aware going in.
No-spice: kisses only, thoughts and feelings of desire.
I realize this doesn't really sound like a 4-star review... I did think the premise and overall storyline of this duology were very interesting, and I enjoyed most of the characters. I'll read the next books set in this world. It kept my interest, and I read it quickly. Just a few things that kept it from being a favorite for me.
March 11, 2026
♡Tides of Secrets♡
by A. R. Conwell
Releases March 31st
•6⭐️
•Spice: none (kissing only/closed door)
•Language: none
•TW/CW: S*xual assault. Murder. Violence. Grief. Blood.
My thoughts:
OH MY GOSH! How do I even put into words how amazingly beautiful this book is? Everything about this book was so beautiful and emotional. The writing was amazing and drew me in immediately. It was so utterly addicting to read.
Castien and Wren’s relationship is so sweet and I love them so much. They have a special place in my heart, as one of my favorite book couples.
The emotion in this book was so intense and I loved it so much. There were so many twists and turns to this story and I never knew what was coming.
This story has been on my mind since finishing book 1 and I’m so glad to have an ending to the story.
I highly recommend and can see myself rereading many times in the future.
I’m also so excited for a certain someone’s book next…
🖤yearning
🕯️dark academia
🖤he falls first
🕯️soft FMC
🖤protective MMC
🕯️secrets + mysteries
🖤book 2 in duology
🕯️dagger fighting lessons
🖤she cares for him
🕯️they exchange letters
🖤no spice romantasy
by A. R. Conwell
Releases March 31st
•6⭐️
•Spice: none (kissing only/closed door)
•Language: none
•TW/CW: S*xual assault. Murder. Violence. Grief. Blood.
My thoughts:
OH MY GOSH! How do I even put into words how amazingly beautiful this book is? Everything about this book was so beautiful and emotional. The writing was amazing and drew me in immediately. It was so utterly addicting to read.
Castien and Wren’s relationship is so sweet and I love them so much. They have a special place in my heart, as one of my favorite book couples.
The emotion in this book was so intense and I loved it so much. There were so many twists and turns to this story and I never knew what was coming.
This story has been on my mind since finishing book 1 and I’m so glad to have an ending to the story.
I highly recommend and can see myself rereading many times in the future.
I’m also so excited for a certain someone’s book next…
🖤yearning
🕯️dark academia
🖤he falls first
🕯️soft FMC
🖤protective MMC
🕯️secrets + mysteries
🖤book 2 in duology
🕯️dagger fighting lessons
🖤she cares for him
🕯️they exchange letters
🖤no spice romantasy
April 1, 2026
ARC Review: Ocean of Ink was a wonderful book that laid the foundations for the masterpiece that is Tides of Secrets. I’m not sure I’ve come across a duology where I feel the second book was better than the first, but here we are. This story has you experiencing all of the emotions. Grief. Sadness. Fear. Joy. Heartache. Betrayal. Love. Happiness. I was so impressed by this darker academia book and the characters within. What a fighter Wren is! She was a lovely FMC who pushed through her heartache to find a family of friends amid terrible circumstances. But Castien, what a wonderfully written man. His words were true poetry. I tried to pick a quote out of the abundance in the book and simply found that I could not choose. There were far, far too many. The most attractive part of his character was his gentle, but all consuming obsession with Wren. What a beautiful love story. Well done, A.R. Conwell. I cannot wait for Finn’s story. I am greedy for it.
Review of advance copy received from Author
・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・
𝓟𝓻𝓮-𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭:
totally NOT me screaming that I just got accepted for the ARC of this!!!!✨😍🩵💖
・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・
🌸ꗥ～ꗥ🌸 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 🌸ꗥ～ꗥ🌸
Five tragically beautiful stars ★★★★★
First of all, thank you SO MUCH to the Author for giving me the privilege of an ARC! I'm so grateful!
Second of all: Can we just take a moment to swoon over Wren and Castien? Their absolutely beautiful healing romance was making me cry all over my computer.
And also: I feel like I can never say this enough, but THANK YOU, A.R. CONWELL, FOR PUTTING ROMANCE INTO THE BOOK WITHOUT IT BEING JUST ABOUT LUST. Chuck all these Sarah Maas, Rebecca Yarros, Callie Hart, and countless other fantasy romance authors who just write about lust, lust, lust INTO THE BIN. BECAUSE WE GOT OURSELVES A REAL ROMANTASY AUTHOR HERE.
Third: There are some pretty ptsd things in here, which makes this even better (not the ptsd part), because I know Annah is writing this from a personal experience, but also how Jesus Christ changed her life. Beautiful.
Fourth: The descriptions in here are so amazing. They're lush, dark, captivating, and it pulls you right into the world of ink, candles, and old libraries. Love that.
Fifth: Also, lowkey falling for Finn, CAN'T WAIT FOR HIS STORY!!!!!
All in all, this is a must-read series, totally worth your time, and not a disappointing read.
⊹₊˚‧︵‿₊୨ᰔ୧₊‿︵‧˚₊⊹
𝓟𝓻𝓮-𝓻𝓮𝓪𝓭:
totally NOT me screaming that I just got accepted for the ARC of this!!!!✨😍🩵💖
・┆✦ʚ♡ɞ✦ ┆・
🌸ꗥ～ꗥ🌸 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 🌸ꗥ～ꗥ🌸
Five tragically beautiful stars ★★★★★
First of all, thank you SO MUCH to the Author for giving me the privilege of an ARC! I'm so grateful!
Second of all: Can we just take a moment to swoon over Wren and Castien? Their absolutely beautiful healing romance was making me cry all over my computer.
And also: I feel like I can never say this enough, but THANK YOU, A.R. CONWELL, FOR PUTTING ROMANCE INTO THE BOOK WITHOUT IT BEING JUST ABOUT LUST. Chuck all these Sarah Maas, Rebecca Yarros, Callie Hart, and countless other fantasy romance authors who just write about lust, lust, lust INTO THE BIN. BECAUSE WE GOT OURSELVES A REAL ROMANTASY AUTHOR HERE.
Third: There are some pretty ptsd things in here, which makes this even better (not the ptsd part), because I know Annah is writing this from a personal experience, but also how Jesus Christ changed her life. Beautiful.
Fourth: The descriptions in here are so amazing. They're lush, dark, captivating, and it pulls you right into the world of ink, candles, and old libraries. Love that.
Fifth: Also, lowkey falling for Finn, CAN'T WAIT FOR HIS STORY!!!!!
All in all, this is a must-read series, totally worth your time, and not a disappointing read.
⊹₊˚‧︵‿₊୨ᰔ୧₊‿︵‧˚₊⊹
April 10, 2026
Genres, settings, categories, themes: dark academia, fantasy, romance (M/F), mystery, murder mystery, found family, grief, secret society, NA
💗 Tropes: 💗
> Opposites Attract
> Pen Pals
> Slow Burn
all about tropes here
POV: 3rd person, alternating/dual
Series/Sequencing Style: 2nd in duology, should be read in order
Format: ebook
🔽🔽🔽
Overall ratings
Heat level: 🍓 0/5 sweet 🍓
(from Ampersand’s guide to heat levels in romance novels – (0) sweet, (1) mild sizzle, (2) sensual steam, (3) spicy seduction, (4) red hot, (5) erotic)
~ Heroine/FMC (Wren) ~ 2/5 🌕🌕🌑🌑🌑
~ Hero/MMC (Castien) ~ 3/5 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑
~ Other characters ~ 5/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕
~ Plot ~ 3.5/5 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑
~ Pacing ~ 4.5/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗
~ Romance ~ 2.5/5 🌕🌕🌗🌑🌑
~ Mystery/suspense ~ 4/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑
~ World building ~ 4/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑
~ Writing ~ 4.5/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗
~ Reading enjoyability & fun ~ 3/5 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑
~ Depth & tone (1 light & fun --> 5 more serious, addresses heavier topics?): 3
~ Angst level: 2.5/5 - high, but contained to the first 1/3, then none
~ Sadness level: 3
🔽🔽🔽
❗CW/Triggers:❗anxiety, childhood sexual abuse, cut throat, death of a loved one, depression, execution, grief, murder, sword fighting, trauma
🔽🔽🔽
📝 Review/Notes 📝
Oof, I really don’t like “dearest”, especially from 20-24(?) year-olds. Repeated use of that nickname (from both of them) was a major ick for me.
I'm a bit unsure how to feel with this one, after the first. Getting into the first book, I was excited to find a lot of things I really liked about it, and felt like it was going to be a highly underrated duology to recommend. However, I'm not sure this one really came through, and in the end I wouldn't rate it as high as I thought I was going to.
I do still like the duology overall, and I think there are a lot of promising elements. I just couldn’t 100% get past my ambivalence and nose wrinkling towards the h, and how other characters were so devoted to her without any real reason. She hasn’t been particularly interesting or anything really to inspire the loyalty she has from Finn, Castien, and Kierana. And she regularly acts annoyingly or immaturely–like of course she would refuse to read his letters.
This one leaned heavier into the sappy & lovey-dovey side of romance, with him turning into a full on yearning, down bad, sad sack for her, and her own “realization” of her feelings coming somewhat underwhelmingly and kind of quickly after her thoughts around not even understanding the emotion. From *what on earth is that* [love, desire, etc.] (come on girl, I know you’ve experienced trauma, but you’re 20 years old) to “I love you so much”. For those reasons, this was more good than great.
I agree with a lot of what Goodreads reviewer Sara says in her 2-star review.
Another thing I found kind of sus–for all Castien’s supposed strategic brilliance, I was surprised that he, in particular, was willing to accept
Anyway, this conclusion to the duology was not all that I wanted it to be, but I see the promise in it, the stronger elements, the strong writing, and I definitely will read more by this author and am excited for Finn’s story, as he’s a favorite.
I did find something out looking at other reviews and the author's note...I saw the phrase "embodying biblical love" used both by the author & (a) reviewer(s), and I have to be honest, that's an ick for me. Perhaps that is why I struggled with the h/FMC, if she was supposed to embody some sort of "good Christian girl" ideal, wherein everyone around her was drawn to her for being meek and delicate? Also realizing now that is probably what some of the obsession around "purity" in this duology came from. I have no problem with a clean romance, and there has to be something for everyone. I'm glad there weren't strong religious overtones in this duology, but I do wonder if some of that "biblical love" ideal seeped into some of the things I found frustration with, like the naivety of the h, the lack of character arc from the H, the sappiness, and the missing tension between the MCs.
🔽🔽🔽
🤠 Recommended for: fans of dark academia who want a clean romantasy duology
💗 Tropes: 💗
> Opposites Attract
> Pen Pals
> Slow Burn
all about tropes here
POV: 3rd person, alternating/dual
Series/Sequencing Style: 2nd in duology, should be read in order
Format: ebook
🔽🔽🔽
Overall ratings
Heat level: 🍓 0/5 sweet 🍓
(from Ampersand’s guide to heat levels in romance novels – (0) sweet, (1) mild sizzle, (2) sensual steam, (3) spicy seduction, (4) red hot, (5) erotic)
~ Heroine/FMC (Wren) ~ 2/5 🌕🌕🌑🌑🌑
~ Hero/MMC (Castien) ~ 3/5 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑
~ Other characters ~ 5/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕
~ Plot ~ 3.5/5 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑
~ Pacing ~ 4.5/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗
~ Romance ~ 2.5/5 🌕🌕🌗🌑🌑
~ Mystery/suspense ~ 4/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑
~ World building ~ 4/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑
~ Writing ~ 4.5/5 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗
~ Reading enjoyability & fun ~ 3/5 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑
~ Depth & tone (1 light & fun --> 5 more serious, addresses heavier topics?): 3
~ Angst level: 2.5/5 - high, but contained to the first 1/3, then none
~ Sadness level: 3
🔽🔽🔽
❗CW/Triggers:❗anxiety, childhood sexual abuse, cut throat, death of a loved one, depression, execution, grief, murder, sword fighting, trauma
🔽🔽🔽
📝 Review/Notes 📝
Oof, I really don’t like “dearest”, especially from 20-24(?) year-olds. Repeated use of that nickname (from both of them) was a major ick for me.
I'm a bit unsure how to feel with this one, after the first. Getting into the first book, I was excited to find a lot of things I really liked about it, and felt like it was going to be a highly underrated duology to recommend. However, I'm not sure this one really came through, and in the end I wouldn't rate it as high as I thought I was going to.
I do still like the duology overall, and I think there are a lot of promising elements. I just couldn’t 100% get past my ambivalence and nose wrinkling towards the h, and how other characters were so devoted to her without any real reason. She hasn’t been particularly interesting or anything really to inspire the loyalty she has from Finn, Castien, and Kierana. And she regularly acts annoyingly or immaturely–like of course she would refuse to read his letters.
This one leaned heavier into the sappy & lovey-dovey side of romance, with him turning into a full on yearning, down bad, sad sack for her, and her own “realization” of her feelings coming somewhat underwhelmingly and kind of quickly after her thoughts around not even understanding the emotion. From *what on earth is that* [love, desire, etc.] (come on girl, I know you’ve experienced trauma, but you’re 20 years old) to “I love you so much”. For those reasons, this was more good than great.
I agree with a lot of what Goodreads reviewer Sara says in her 2-star review.
"...but the romance became too lovey-dovey for me. It didn’t feel as sincere as I know it could have. It was like the writing was trying too hard. The writing style was often good, thoughtful, or effective, but other times it veered into inauthentic territory. I am not sure the rest of the story and what Wren was grappling with matched the cheesiness.^^^ This! All of this!
Another big factor to the romance disappointing me was that Castien didn’t have a character arc or enough flaws, and he couldn’t find fault with anything Wren did, and there just was not enough of a dynamic left between them. I don’t need constant friction or anything, but The Big Lie trope and Castien’s unending patience were not enough to carry the whole romance to the end of the book. Maybe they needed a C-plot to focus on while the A-plot was dormant.
The side characters were barely there. This book was mostly just Wren, Castien, and Finn (and Heathcliff/Blossom, I guess), and I think that was a mistake. Her other friends did a lot for the first book, and so did the professors. I don’t know. It was easy to forget that they were in an academy taking classes."
Another thing I found kind of sus–for all Castien’s supposed strategic brilliance, I was surprised that he, in particular, was willing to accept
Anyway, this conclusion to the duology was not all that I wanted it to be, but I see the promise in it, the stronger elements, the strong writing, and I definitely will read more by this author and am excited for Finn’s story, as he’s a favorite.
I did find something out looking at other reviews and the author's note...I saw the phrase "embodying biblical love" used both by the author & (a) reviewer(s), and I have to be honest, that's an ick for me. Perhaps that is why I struggled with the h/FMC, if she was supposed to embody some sort of "good Christian girl" ideal, wherein everyone around her was drawn to her for being meek and delicate? Also realizing now that is probably what some of the obsession around "purity" in this duology came from. I have no problem with a clean romance, and there has to be something for everyone. I'm glad there weren't strong religious overtones in this duology, but I do wonder if some of that "biblical love" ideal seeped into some of the things I found frustration with, like the naivety of the h, the lack of character arc from the H, the sappiness, and the missing tension between the MCs.
🔽🔽🔽
🤠 Recommended for: fans of dark academia who want a clean romantasy duology
April 10, 2026
Ok how many of you can say that your favourite romcom author came out and published a fantasy duology? Me. I can!! And it was incredible.
Tides of Secrets is the second and final book of the Obsidian Academy duology and I adored it. It’s not light and fluffy. It’s dark, it’s heart felt, it cuts to your soul. The writing is beautiful. Like ….“The overwhelming desire to ensure she never cried again was a flower rooted in an entire garden of utter devotion.”
Are you kidding me?!
I loved seeing Castien and Wren grow in this book. Castien in vulnerability and Wren in strength. It happened in a way that was beautiful and raw. I hesitate to say it was a happy ending because well…. It wasn’t? Was everything resolved? Yes. But the ending leaves the readers in a place of tragedy and healing that is yet to come… but also Hope. Hope for the happiness and joy that our dear characters await for in their future. I’m so proud of Castien and Wren, knowing what their future holds with each other!🫶🏼
Now I patiently await for my favourite side characters book that is on the way😌
Tides of Secrets is the second and final book of the Obsidian Academy duology and I adored it. It’s not light and fluffy. It’s dark, it’s heart felt, it cuts to your soul. The writing is beautiful. Like ….“The overwhelming desire to ensure she never cried again was a flower rooted in an entire garden of utter devotion.”
Are you kidding me?!
I loved seeing Castien and Wren grow in this book. Castien in vulnerability and Wren in strength. It happened in a way that was beautiful and raw. I hesitate to say it was a happy ending because well…. It wasn’t? Was everything resolved? Yes. But the ending leaves the readers in a place of tragedy and healing that is yet to come… but also Hope. Hope for the happiness and joy that our dear characters await for in their future. I’m so proud of Castien and Wren, knowing what their future holds with each other!🫶🏼
Now I patiently await for my favourite side characters book that is on the way😌
April 1, 2026
4.5 stars
What a fabulous conclusion to this duology!
It was so easy to fall back into this world and these characters. I loved digging deeper into Wren and Castien’s friendship to love story. It was such a natural progression especially with Wren’s past. I thought Castien was so patient and sensitive with her and I love how he handled her with the utmost respect and care. That boy was down bad and it gave me butterflies.
This second installment is darker than the first and I really had no idea who the killer was. There’s an element to this mystery that truly throws everything off and it was so well done. Annah truly knocked it out of the park with her first romantasy. I’m so excited that Finn is getting his own story. He’s an absolute gem of a side character with the best comic relief.
Content: kisses only, past SA is alluded to (not on page), mild violence.
Thanks to the author for a gifted copy. My thoughts are my own.
What a fabulous conclusion to this duology!
It was so easy to fall back into this world and these characters. I loved digging deeper into Wren and Castien’s friendship to love story. It was such a natural progression especially with Wren’s past. I thought Castien was so patient and sensitive with her and I love how he handled her with the utmost respect and care. That boy was down bad and it gave me butterflies.
This second installment is darker than the first and I really had no idea who the killer was. There’s an element to this mystery that truly throws everything off and it was so well done. Annah truly knocked it out of the park with her first romantasy. I’m so excited that Finn is getting his own story. He’s an absolute gem of a side character with the best comic relief.
Content: kisses only, past SA is alluded to (not on page), mild violence.
Thanks to the author for a gifted copy. My thoughts are my own.
April 4, 2026
3,5 ⭐️
This series was so interesting! I liked the mix of a dark fantasy, historical romance and academia. This part was a little bit underwhelming in comparison to the first one. I felt like Wren could have used her Curse/gift more for the investigation. I feel that there is a potential there which wasn’t used for her character development.
She is portrayed as a traumatised woman, who is still haunted by the horrors of her past. She constantly doubts her self worth and even finding her brothers killer doesn’t help with that.
That being said, this book is more about Castien, since we are presented with his love and loyalty for her over and over again. He is a fantasy, a solution, a kind of a man that all women who were treated wrongly in the past deserve. He is so sweet and patient, it almost feels like a dream. This doesn’t fit his first description, but who are we to complain?
And the love letters! For me, the whole book impression is based on the lovely love letters. There is something about love letters which I find so romantic.
Another thing bothering me is that Wren is constantly defining herself and her worth upon men. She does not get better out of her own strength, but needs a better man to prove her worth to her. She never discusses her shadows with another woman, only 3 men in this book were involved in her deepest and darkest secrets. I would have appreciated it more if she was able to heal because of herself and not because a new man defines her as whole.
This series was so interesting! I liked the mix of a dark fantasy, historical romance and academia. This part was a little bit underwhelming in comparison to the first one. I felt like Wren could have used her Curse/gift more for the investigation. I feel that there is a potential there which wasn’t used for her character development.
She is portrayed as a traumatised woman, who is still haunted by the horrors of her past. She constantly doubts her self worth and even finding her brothers killer doesn’t help with that.
That being said, this book is more about Castien, since we are presented with his love and loyalty for her over and over again. He is a fantasy, a solution, a kind of a man that all women who were treated wrongly in the past deserve. He is so sweet and patient, it almost feels like a dream. This doesn’t fit his first description, but who are we to complain?
And the love letters! For me, the whole book impression is based on the lovely love letters. There is something about love letters which I find so romantic.
Another thing bothering me is that Wren is constantly defining herself and her worth upon men. She does not get better out of her own strength, but needs a better man to prove her worth to her. She never discusses her shadows with another woman, only 3 men in this book were involved in her deepest and darkest secrets. I would have appreciated it more if she was able to heal because of herself and not because a new man defines her as whole.
April 9, 2026
A Beautiful Balance
This story is clean romance, fantasy, mystery, deception, grief, and healing. I can’t believe how well A.R. Conwell can weave the darkness and light! The heavy themes (overcoming feelings of shame after abuse, and murder) were handled well and I loved the hope woven into the story. Hard things happen in life and it won’t get better today, but we will walk through the darkness together, and it will get better.
The mystery was well done and had me turning to my daughter who had finished before me to discuss my theories. The romance was all consuming and absolutely beautiful.
You definitely have to read Oceans of Ink first, but I loved how this duology turned out! You’ll want to read both!
This story is clean romance, fantasy, mystery, deception, grief, and healing. I can’t believe how well A.R. Conwell can weave the darkness and light! The heavy themes (overcoming feelings of shame after abuse, and murder) were handled well and I loved the hope woven into the story. Hard things happen in life and it won’t get better today, but we will walk through the darkness together, and it will get better.
The mystery was well done and had me turning to my daughter who had finished before me to discuss my theories. The romance was all consuming and absolutely beautiful.
You definitely have to read Oceans of Ink first, but I loved how this duology turned out! You’ll want to read both!
April 2, 2026
*chefs kiss*
✔️Slow burn
✔️Drama
✔️Filled to the brim with plot
I couldn’t get enough of this book. Definitely going to be a comfort read moving forward.
✔️Slow burn
✔️Drama
✔️Filled to the brim with plot
I couldn’t get enough of this book. Definitely going to be a comfort read moving forward.
April 1, 2026
A thrilling and mildly devastating and heartfelt conclusion 💜 Some of it feels a bit on the nose, but I also couldn’t have asked for more.
April 6, 2026
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
✨I” do not deserve you”, “I would say the same to you” “nonsense. You deserve much more. You deserve every good thing this world has to offer and then some” ✨
✨” You need only to exist, my love. A crown would suit you tonight. I would give you my kingdom if you asked. Bow before you as my empress, queen of my heart.” ✨
✨Her expression melted into something soft and wonderful. Tides, Castien could get drunk on her stare alone ✨
✨ What is love and affection without the absence of a sound mind? ✨
📖
💭 My Thoughts 💭
Oh, how this duology will live in my heart forever. 💫Mrs. Annah Conwell, you truly outdid yourself. Castien and Wren together are perfection. AND SO ARE THEIR LETTER EXCHNAGES OHHH HOW MRS. ANNAH CONWELL MADE THEM SO MUCH BETTER AND INTENSE 🖤✨ The array of emotions while reading this book was just joyful, heart wrenching and utterly beautiful 🥹💔❤️🩹
~
The healing from her scars were so tenderly cared to through Castien's deeds and words; I found my heart aching and healing all at the same time like our amazing Fmc Wren. The way they become the perfect balance of strength and reliance for each other was just so pure and peaceful to see in the writing. How she helps him to begin to heal from his grief and self-guilt is also beautifully done. I loved them working together to solve the mystery surrounding the academy. Castien and Wren’s romance was EVERYTHINGI hoped for AND more, especially after the beautiful slow-burn buildup in Ocean of Ink. THE YEARNING AND LOVE that PRINCE CASTIEN VALENGUARD HAD FOR HIS LADY WREN KAYLIXI was just something else. The terms of endearments he had for her and her for him were just so great I found myself melting in a puddle several times and swooning every other paragraph.
~
These two are a great depiction of how romance should be cherished by biblical standards, Castien was absolutely obsessed with Wren and his love for her was so patient and so caring. They both had boundaries and were understanding of each other and never once let the temptations take over; they were just so attentive towards the other, and I could see the deep and immense love they had for another by how Annah wrote their amazing story. The growth they both experienced as characters was so wholesome to see. I absolutely loved these two.
~
Finn ...hmmm what can I say about that wonderful man... let's start with how he was carrying the team on his back in that one scene (iykyk) He had me so hyped up like I was the one going into battle or something. UGHHH I LOVE THAT MAN AND CANNONT wait for his book becasue I am telling you right now I am about to fall in love with him even more than I have and I do not think I am ready for it LOL.
*Also, so glad that Finn was the one who said this amazing quote, “Logic bows at the throne of obsession” I had a feeling it was him!!
~
GO READ THIS DUOLOGY RIGHT NOW YOU NEED TO EXPIERNCE THIS PURE AND INNONCENT LOVE RELATIONSHIP BECASUE YES... YOU WILL LAUGH. YOU WILL MOST DEFINETLY CRY. BUT ALTOGEHTER YOU WILL SIGH LOVINGLY AND THINK ABOUT HOW WONDERFUL THEY ARE!
~
God bless everyone
✨I” do not deserve you”, “I would say the same to you” “nonsense. You deserve much more. You deserve every good thing this world has to offer and then some” ✨
✨” You need only to exist, my love. A crown would suit you tonight. I would give you my kingdom if you asked. Bow before you as my empress, queen of my heart.” ✨
✨Her expression melted into something soft and wonderful. Tides, Castien could get drunk on her stare alone ✨
✨ What is love and affection without the absence of a sound mind? ✨
📖
💭 My Thoughts 💭
Oh, how this duology will live in my heart forever. 💫Mrs. Annah Conwell, you truly outdid yourself. Castien and Wren together are perfection. AND SO ARE THEIR LETTER EXCHNAGES OHHH HOW MRS. ANNAH CONWELL MADE THEM SO MUCH BETTER AND INTENSE 🖤✨ The array of emotions while reading this book was just joyful, heart wrenching and utterly beautiful 🥹💔❤️🩹
~
The healing from her scars were so tenderly cared to through Castien's deeds and words; I found my heart aching and healing all at the same time like our amazing Fmc Wren. The way they become the perfect balance of strength and reliance for each other was just so pure and peaceful to see in the writing. How she helps him to begin to heal from his grief and self-guilt is also beautifully done. I loved them working together to solve the mystery surrounding the academy. Castien and Wren’s romance was EVERYTHINGI hoped for AND more, especially after the beautiful slow-burn buildup in Ocean of Ink. THE YEARNING AND LOVE that PRINCE CASTIEN VALENGUARD HAD FOR HIS LADY WREN KAYLIXI was just something else. The terms of endearments he had for her and her for him were just so great I found myself melting in a puddle several times and swooning every other paragraph.
~
These two are a great depiction of how romance should be cherished by biblical standards, Castien was absolutely obsessed with Wren and his love for her was so patient and so caring. They both had boundaries and were understanding of each other and never once let the temptations take over; they were just so attentive towards the other, and I could see the deep and immense love they had for another by how Annah wrote their amazing story. The growth they both experienced as characters was so wholesome to see. I absolutely loved these two.
~
Finn ...hmmm what can I say about that wonderful man... let's start with how he was carrying the team on his back in that one scene (iykyk) He had me so hyped up like I was the one going into battle or something. UGHHH I LOVE THAT MAN AND CANNONT wait for his book becasue I am telling you right now I am about to fall in love with him even more than I have and I do not think I am ready for it LOL.
*Also, so glad that Finn was the one who said this amazing quote, “Logic bows at the throne of obsession” I had a feeling it was him!!
~
GO READ THIS DUOLOGY RIGHT NOW YOU NEED TO EXPIERNCE THIS PURE AND INNONCENT LOVE RELATIONSHIP BECASUE YES... YOU WILL LAUGH. YOU WILL MOST DEFINETLY CRY. BUT ALTOGEHTER YOU WILL SIGH LOVINGLY AND THINK ABOUT HOW WONDERFUL THEY ARE!
~
God bless everyone
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Fantasy Romance
- Dual POV
- Book 2 (book 1 is NECESSARY)
- Dark academia
- Healing after grief and trauma
- Found family
- Murder and mystery
✨a few of my favorite things:
- Castien’s patience and gentleness for Wren
- Castien & Wren working as a team
- Castien’s belief and encouragement of Wren
- Him training her 😏
- Finn’s general manner and off the wall comments
- Wren teasing Finn too
- The friends all bantering together
- The gifts and letters
- Wren bravely GOING FOR IT
- The reconciliation 💕
- Wren loving and supporting Castien
- That satisfying ending
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Wow I definitely don’t feel like I have all the words to properly convey the feelings I have for this book (and also book 1 as they go hand in hand).
First, I must just say. That was some of the most satisfying character development I’ve ever read. Wren and Castien’s full circle moment had my heart. I adore that Castien carried her through darkness and she got the privilege of picking him up and loving him through darkness too. Their relationship and growth is authentic and raw. They both struggle with such all consuming emotions and I so enjoyed watching them learn to tackle them together. Such beautiful redemption happens in the book and it’s a beautiful reflection on how love and marriage/relationships can help heal you and show you real Christ like love.
Second, THIS STORY. Pay attention the foreshadowing is there. There are twists you won’t see coming but if you like solving the puzzle like I do, it’s totally there. The plot is thick 👏🏻👏🏻
Third, my heart was completely broken for the characters multiple times. Annah did a phenomenal job writing vivid, gut punching moments.
The book kinda feels like 2 separate books because of how intensely focused it is on different things. But it reflects the characters well and how they are very driven and set on their missions as. I loved the entire book and it felt very satisfying how Annah brought everything from book 1 to a conclusion. AND I CANNOT WAIT FOR MORE BOOKS WITH THESE CHARACTERS AHHHHHHHH.
This is a closed door fantasy romance. There is no cursing, only kissing, and the author has content warnings on her website if needed. Everything is handled with grace and sensitive topics are discussed vaguely.
**Thank you so much to Annah for letting me read this gifted ARC. No positive review was required. All thoughts are my own.**
- Fantasy Romance
- Dual POV
- Book 2 (book 1 is NECESSARY)
- Dark academia
- Healing after grief and trauma
- Found family
- Murder and mystery
✨a few of my favorite things:
- Castien’s patience and gentleness for Wren
- Castien & Wren working as a team
- Castien’s belief and encouragement of Wren
- Him training her 😏
- Finn’s general manner and off the wall comments
- Wren teasing Finn too
- The friends all bantering together
- The gifts and letters
- Wren bravely GOING FOR IT
- The reconciliation 💕
- Wren loving and supporting Castien
- That satisfying ending
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Wow I definitely don’t feel like I have all the words to properly convey the feelings I have for this book (and also book 1 as they go hand in hand).
First, I must just say. That was some of the most satisfying character development I’ve ever read. Wren and Castien’s full circle moment had my heart. I adore that Castien carried her through darkness and she got the privilege of picking him up and loving him through darkness too. Their relationship and growth is authentic and raw. They both struggle with such all consuming emotions and I so enjoyed watching them learn to tackle them together. Such beautiful redemption happens in the book and it’s a beautiful reflection on how love and marriage/relationships can help heal you and show you real Christ like love.
Second, THIS STORY. Pay attention the foreshadowing is there. There are twists you won’t see coming but if you like solving the puzzle like I do, it’s totally there. The plot is thick 👏🏻👏🏻
Third, my heart was completely broken for the characters multiple times. Annah did a phenomenal job writing vivid, gut punching moments.
The book kinda feels like 2 separate books because of how intensely focused it is on different things. But it reflects the characters well and how they are very driven and set on their missions as. I loved the entire book and it felt very satisfying how Annah brought everything from book 1 to a conclusion. AND I CANNOT WAIT FOR MORE BOOKS WITH THESE CHARACTERS AHHHHHHHH.
This is a closed door fantasy romance. There is no cursing, only kissing, and the author has content warnings on her website if needed. Everything is handled with grace and sensitive topics are discussed vaguely.
**Thank you so much to Annah for letting me read this gifted ARC. No positive review was required. All thoughts are my own.**
April 1, 2026
Tides of Secrets 🥀🗡️
Wren Kalyxi and Castien Valengard return in the dangerous, thrilling, magnificent Tides of Secret, and while their journey is long and painful, it is also incredibly beautiful and hopeful.
The character arcs for Castien and Wren are immaculate. They both work so hard to overcome pain, fear, perceptions, and intense pressure, and they both emerge as glorious diamonds in the end. Their story’s conclusion was hard-fought, well-earned, and oh so sweet.
I absolutely loved the Truth woven throughout this novel. We must combat the monster’s lies with goodness, light, and truth. Perfect love casts out fear. You will be rewarded if you do not grow weary in doing well. No scar, shame, or hurt can make you unworthy of love. You are so much more than the things that happened to you.
The imagery and writing craft in this novel are breathtaking. The characters are deep and complex, the setting is incredibly moody and so fitting, and the plot keeps you insatiable until the very end. Seriously, this novel should be studied. With every page I fell deeper into the story, made connections, experienced a tide of emotions, and desperately sought the answers alongside the characters.
There is SO much yearning. Like, “writing on the walls, being unable to stop himself from calling her Dearest, going to her even when he’s sick, obsessing over ways to make her feel safe and loved, and showing the sweetest patience” kind of yearning. Our sweet passionate Prince has mastered the art of obsession, and he finally gets to share his heart and emotions with the one who consumes him.
Our soft warrior Wren is finally able to see past the pain, fear, and lies of a monster to recognize her own strength and worth, to accept and cherish Castien’s love, and to experience that same level of devotion and adoration for him. With her kindness in the face of brutality, her courage in the face of danger, and her forgiveness in the face of betrayal, it’s easy to see why the Strategist can’t resist his Empath.
This is a dark romantasy that deals with grief, violence, death, past abuse and the subsequent trauma, deception, fear, and anxiety. There are also moments of sassy humor and lighthearted softness. There is no swearing or spice, but there are definitely some sweet and sizzling swoony moments befitting the level of unhinged yearning displayed by a certain Prince.
I was honored to read an early copy of this manuscript.
Wren Kalyxi and Castien Valengard return in the dangerous, thrilling, magnificent Tides of Secret, and while their journey is long and painful, it is also incredibly beautiful and hopeful.
The character arcs for Castien and Wren are immaculate. They both work so hard to overcome pain, fear, perceptions, and intense pressure, and they both emerge as glorious diamonds in the end. Their story’s conclusion was hard-fought, well-earned, and oh so sweet.
I absolutely loved the Truth woven throughout this novel. We must combat the monster’s lies with goodness, light, and truth. Perfect love casts out fear. You will be rewarded if you do not grow weary in doing well. No scar, shame, or hurt can make you unworthy of love. You are so much more than the things that happened to you.
The imagery and writing craft in this novel are breathtaking. The characters are deep and complex, the setting is incredibly moody and so fitting, and the plot keeps you insatiable until the very end. Seriously, this novel should be studied. With every page I fell deeper into the story, made connections, experienced a tide of emotions, and desperately sought the answers alongside the characters.
There is SO much yearning. Like, “writing on the walls, being unable to stop himself from calling her Dearest, going to her even when he’s sick, obsessing over ways to make her feel safe and loved, and showing the sweetest patience” kind of yearning. Our sweet passionate Prince has mastered the art of obsession, and he finally gets to share his heart and emotions with the one who consumes him.
Our soft warrior Wren is finally able to see past the pain, fear, and lies of a monster to recognize her own strength and worth, to accept and cherish Castien’s love, and to experience that same level of devotion and adoration for him. With her kindness in the face of brutality, her courage in the face of danger, and her forgiveness in the face of betrayal, it’s easy to see why the Strategist can’t resist his Empath.
This is a dark romantasy that deals with grief, violence, death, past abuse and the subsequent trauma, deception, fear, and anxiety. There are also moments of sassy humor and lighthearted softness. There is no swearing or spice, but there are definitely some sweet and sizzling swoony moments befitting the level of unhinged yearning displayed by a certain Prince.
I was honored to read an early copy of this manuscript.
March 26, 2026
🪶🗡️Content🗡️🪶
🌶️Spice: Kisses only
🙊Language: none
🤔Other Content: Trigger warning for SA off page and in the past, there are flashbacks and feelings of the SA but nothing explicit.
🪶🗡️Quotes🗡️🪶
Once alone, Castien let his eyes fall shut. It was not darkness he saw, however, but Wren. Her pale curls in the firelight. The barest of smiles toying with her rose lips. Her hand on his forehead. A burning ache worse than any sickness rose up in his chest.
Heathford’s implication was correct. There was little Castien would not do for Wren.
It was agony to love her when she seemed to only think of him as a friend.
A smile blossomed on her face. Castien did his best to memorize it, in hopes that when he was deprived, he’d be able to recall it.
Like our Gifts, my love for you is inescapable.
“We have forever. There’s no rush or expectation. I don’t want to upset you.”
“Everything I am, everything I own, belongs to you.”
🪶🗡️My Thoughts🗡️🪶
🗡️This is the second book in The Obsidian Academy Duet a dark academia romantasy.
🪶This one picked right back up from where Ocean of Ink ended which I loved! My favorite part of this whole series was the romance between Castien and Wren. She wrote the romance so well in this duet, I was getting the same feels as I did when watching the Pride and Prejudice movie. It was just so beautifully written I found myself highlighting so many quotes. I also loved the letters they wrote back and forth. Finn was such a good funny side character too that I found myself giggling at his scenes.
🗡️There was also the mystery of who killed Wren’s brother that they are trying to solve throughout the books meanwhile currently there are some mysterious deaths of students at the academy happening. This kept me intrigued trying to figure out who was doing it. I do feel like the fantasy elements took a little bit of a back seat in this one. Castian’s gift wasn’t mentioned as much to me as the first book however Wrens gift was more in the forefront in this one.
🪶Overall I really enjoyed this duet and look forward to what else A.R. Conwell writes!
🪶🗡️Thank you so much A.R. Conwell for gifting me an e-arc to read. All thoughts and opinions on my voluntary review are my own.
🌶️Spice: Kisses only
🙊Language: none
🤔Other Content: Trigger warning for SA off page and in the past, there are flashbacks and feelings of the SA but nothing explicit.
🪶🗡️Quotes🗡️🪶
Once alone, Castien let his eyes fall shut. It was not darkness he saw, however, but Wren. Her pale curls in the firelight. The barest of smiles toying with her rose lips. Her hand on his forehead. A burning ache worse than any sickness rose up in his chest.
Heathford’s implication was correct. There was little Castien would not do for Wren.
It was agony to love her when she seemed to only think of him as a friend.
A smile blossomed on her face. Castien did his best to memorize it, in hopes that when he was deprived, he’d be able to recall it.
Like our Gifts, my love for you is inescapable.
“We have forever. There’s no rush or expectation. I don’t want to upset you.”
“Everything I am, everything I own, belongs to you.”
🪶🗡️My Thoughts🗡️🪶
🗡️This is the second book in The Obsidian Academy Duet a dark academia romantasy.
🪶This one picked right back up from where Ocean of Ink ended which I loved! My favorite part of this whole series was the romance between Castien and Wren. She wrote the romance so well in this duet, I was getting the same feels as I did when watching the Pride and Prejudice movie. It was just so beautifully written I found myself highlighting so many quotes. I also loved the letters they wrote back and forth. Finn was such a good funny side character too that I found myself giggling at his scenes.
🗡️There was also the mystery of who killed Wren’s brother that they are trying to solve throughout the books meanwhile currently there are some mysterious deaths of students at the academy happening. This kept me intrigued trying to figure out who was doing it. I do feel like the fantasy elements took a little bit of a back seat in this one. Castian’s gift wasn’t mentioned as much to me as the first book however Wrens gift was more in the forefront in this one.
🪶Overall I really enjoyed this duet and look forward to what else A.R. Conwell writes!
🪶🗡️Thank you so much A.R. Conwell for gifting me an e-arc to read. All thoughts and opinions on my voluntary review are my own.
March 31, 2026
Agh! It’s finally here! Part two of the Obsidian Academy duology has arrived! A.R. Conwell’s riveting romantasy debut, Ocean of Ink, now has its other half, Tides of Secrets.
When I received this gem in my inbox, I admit, I dropped everything else and started to devour this beauty. Not slowly reading, no, devouring. The emotional roller coaster picks back up right where it left off in Ocean of Ink, and it keeps going with all the delicious angst, mysterious twists and turns, delicious banter and heroic moments that all lead to a happily ever after for Castien and Wren. But of course, as mentioned, the path to that happiness is not a straight one.
Wren has emotional trauma in her past that needs to be addressed. Castien has the pesky matter of having stolen her journal and knows that must be dealt with, despite the potential consequences. Of course, there is also the matter of a k;ller on the loose. Plus the very real feelings developing between these two beautiful souls.
Wren has finally found somebody she can feel safe with, she can process her own emotions and breathe. He’s also determined to keep her safe and help her better defend herself.
Casten… oh, he’s a wreck for her. He has closed his emotions off for years, but when that wall cracks, it’s not a little thing. “Castien’s throat was tight. Tears burned his eyes. His Gift was gone in the face of such strong emotion. There was no solution present.”
Reading as they overcame every obstacle, heal from trauma and the heartache of the betrayals the secrets between them caused, seeing love find its footing-it all made for the most rewarding evening. Grab your copy today and be prepared for your heart to be grasped in the most delightful way.
As a side note, while this is clean and closed door, it is a darker romantasy that deals with some more mature themes, like SA, PTSD, and m*rder. They are all dealt with in a very healthy and respectful way, but if those are triggering for you, please choose to be kind to yourself, whether you decide to read or not.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Thoughts and opinions are my own.
When I received this gem in my inbox, I admit, I dropped everything else and started to devour this beauty. Not slowly reading, no, devouring. The emotional roller coaster picks back up right where it left off in Ocean of Ink, and it keeps going with all the delicious angst, mysterious twists and turns, delicious banter and heroic moments that all lead to a happily ever after for Castien and Wren. But of course, as mentioned, the path to that happiness is not a straight one.
Wren has emotional trauma in her past that needs to be addressed. Castien has the pesky matter of having stolen her journal and knows that must be dealt with, despite the potential consequences. Of course, there is also the matter of a k;ller on the loose. Plus the very real feelings developing between these two beautiful souls.
Wren has finally found somebody she can feel safe with, she can process her own emotions and breathe. He’s also determined to keep her safe and help her better defend herself.
Casten… oh, he’s a wreck for her. He has closed his emotions off for years, but when that wall cracks, it’s not a little thing. “Castien’s throat was tight. Tears burned his eyes. His Gift was gone in the face of such strong emotion. There was no solution present.”
Reading as they overcame every obstacle, heal from trauma and the heartache of the betrayals the secrets between them caused, seeing love find its footing-it all made for the most rewarding evening. Grab your copy today and be prepared for your heart to be grasped in the most delightful way.
As a side note, while this is clean and closed door, it is a darker romantasy that deals with some more mature themes, like SA, PTSD, and m*rder. They are all dealt with in a very healthy and respectful way, but if those are triggering for you, please choose to be kind to yourself, whether you decide to read or not.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Thoughts and opinions are my own.
March 31, 2026
The finale for the duology is here! I was eagerly waiting for this conclusion and it was so engrossing!
Once again Wren made my heart hurt a bit! She had grown so much over the first book, but still battled the darkness that felt overwhelming for her. There seemed to be more questions every time that an answer appeared in her quest for the trust behind her brother’s death. Wren wanted to trust Castian, but there was so many secrets that they both still held. I loved getting to see her connect with some of the other students, especially Finn and Kierana! She was coming into herself and finding her place among them all. Throughout the story, Wren kept her softness and care, even as she battled the toll it took on her. I loved seeing her find strength in love and kindness.
Oh Castian! He was so devoted to his responsibility, yet at the same time he was so drawn to Wren. He had been working overtime to try to uncover the mystery of the murders and it was draining on him. I loved the way Wren and Finn were able to support him. It definitely wasn't the same way, but both saw him for his strength and for his character.
Cas and Wren together were so sweet! They had a balancing effect on one another and the yearning was just so romantic! There was a genuine care for the other and they saw each other's strengths and struggles. They came together to solve the mysteries and uncover secrets. I felt like their reactions to revelations made sense and I enjoyed seeing the development of their relationship.
The story was full of surprises and I was on the edge of my seat to the end! I was not expecting some of the twists, but nothing felt completely out of place. It was also cool to see more of the world and how it worked. I can't wait to read more in this world! This is a dark romantasy that is the second in a duology. It directly follows the first book and should not be read until reading the first book. Content warnings for the first book also apply.
I received an ARC.
Once again Wren made my heart hurt a bit! She had grown so much over the first book, but still battled the darkness that felt overwhelming for her. There seemed to be more questions every time that an answer appeared in her quest for the trust behind her brother’s death. Wren wanted to trust Castian, but there was so many secrets that they both still held. I loved getting to see her connect with some of the other students, especially Finn and Kierana! She was coming into herself and finding her place among them all. Throughout the story, Wren kept her softness and care, even as she battled the toll it took on her. I loved seeing her find strength in love and kindness.
Oh Castian! He was so devoted to his responsibility, yet at the same time he was so drawn to Wren. He had been working overtime to try to uncover the mystery of the murders and it was draining on him. I loved the way Wren and Finn were able to support him. It definitely wasn't the same way, but both saw him for his strength and for his character.
Cas and Wren together were so sweet! They had a balancing effect on one another and the yearning was just so romantic! There was a genuine care for the other and they saw each other's strengths and struggles. They came together to solve the mysteries and uncover secrets. I felt like their reactions to revelations made sense and I enjoyed seeing the development of their relationship.
The story was full of surprises and I was on the edge of my seat to the end! I was not expecting some of the twists, but nothing felt completely out of place. It was also cool to see more of the world and how it worked. I can't wait to read more in this world! This is a dark romantasy that is the second in a duology. It directly follows the first book and should not be read until reading the first book. Content warnings for the first book also apply.
I received an ARC.
March 18, 2026
“I want all of you, Wren. In every way you will allow me. I am quite desperate for you. I’ve been told I’m pathetic.” He gave a tortured smile. “Your past did not ruin you. I see you as you are now, and who you are is someone I long for with all that I am.”
This dark romantasy is packed with mystery, suspense, YEARNING, danger, friendship, banter, and romance. I have no words for this book, it is absolutely FANTASTIC!! The writing and world-building, I truly felt like I was there. I love when a mystery causes my suspicions to continually change. One suggestion, be sure to have tissues at hand when you read. There will be tears… tears of pain and brokenness, tears of joy, and tears of sadness. But never fear, your heart will be put back together in the end!
Wren is brave and strong. I loved watching her grow in confidence and strength. I adored the healing she found, and the way Castien helped her in that healing absolutely touched my heart. I loved the friendships she built. I loved the way she and Castien worked together and learned to trust and depend on one another. The letters Wren and Castien wrote, oh my heart! Castien is intelligent and absolutely besotted with Wren. He is now the king of yearning. Y’all, it’s so amazing! I enjoyed seeing how he balanced his emotions with his Gift and his leadership in discovering the k!ller. I loved that he let down his guard with Wren and their honest conversations. His brokenness was palpable but his love for Wren even more so. I adored getting a front row seat to their romance and the beautiful blossoming love it grew to be. That Epilogue melted me into a puddle!
Castien’s friendship with Finn is so strong and their connection incredible. I am sad to leave the Academy but I am looking forward to Finn’s story!
This ARC was provided by the author. I was not required to give a positive review, rating and opinions are my own.
This dark romantasy is packed with mystery, suspense, YEARNING, danger, friendship, banter, and romance. I have no words for this book, it is absolutely FANTASTIC!! The writing and world-building, I truly felt like I was there. I love when a mystery causes my suspicions to continually change. One suggestion, be sure to have tissues at hand when you read. There will be tears… tears of pain and brokenness, tears of joy, and tears of sadness. But never fear, your heart will be put back together in the end!
Wren is brave and strong. I loved watching her grow in confidence and strength. I adored the healing she found, and the way Castien helped her in that healing absolutely touched my heart. I loved the friendships she built. I loved the way she and Castien worked together and learned to trust and depend on one another. The letters Wren and Castien wrote, oh my heart! Castien is intelligent and absolutely besotted with Wren. He is now the king of yearning. Y’all, it’s so amazing! I enjoyed seeing how he balanced his emotions with his Gift and his leadership in discovering the k!ller. I loved that he let down his guard with Wren and their honest conversations. His brokenness was palpable but his love for Wren even more so. I adored getting a front row seat to their romance and the beautiful blossoming love it grew to be. That Epilogue melted me into a puddle!
Castien’s friendship with Finn is so strong and their connection incredible. I am sad to leave the Academy but I am looking forward to Finn’s story!
This ARC was provided by the author. I was not required to give a positive review, rating and opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I absolutely plowed through this book! Ocean of Ink was beautiful, and Tides of Secrets is only more so!
The mystery, the yearning, the devotion, the baring and outpouring of the heart. Wonderfully done!!
🕯️✉️🌸🌊🗝️
Wren is a feminine woman through and through. 🎀✨🫖 She is gracious and giving, and strives to do the right thing even when she is exposed to and affected by atrocities left and right. It was so cool to see her become Castien’s rock when he was pushed to his limits during the most difficult chapters of the book. ❤️🩹 Also, she and Blossom care for each other’s wellbeing so much and that warms my heart.
Castien’s love for Wren is totally pure, and it shows. 🌹🤍 When she felt broken and used, Castien was so reassuring, loving and encouraging her through her inner struggles. He was 100% there for her, knowing with his whole heart that Wren is so much more than her past and what she went through, and that he would love her in every lifetime no matter what! All you men out there, take notes!! He always puts her first, and not once does he pressure her into anything, he waits for her with patience and respect. 👏🏻😩❤️🔥 I think it’s so special how we as readers get a glimpse of his deep passion and desire for her through her Gift. I applaud Conwell for capturing Castien’s longing for Wren—without crossing into anything inappropriate. I could go on and on about this man!!
Finn is comical as always, but it’s becoming more and more evident that his character has a depth that is yet to be revealed, which I’m super excited for! 🫶🏻🌼 The grief he experiences in the later half of this book is palpable, and I think the readers’ connection to him only grows throughout the story.
The only criticism I have is a small one, and that’s just some of the words that Conwell uses a bit too frequently, such as ‘rasped’ (i.e. he rasped).
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I would recommend this duology ten times over!
The mystery, the yearning, the devotion, the baring and outpouring of the heart. Wonderfully done!!
🕯️✉️🌸🌊🗝️
Wren is a feminine woman through and through. 🎀✨🫖 She is gracious and giving, and strives to do the right thing even when she is exposed to and affected by atrocities left and right. It was so cool to see her become Castien’s rock when he was pushed to his limits during the most difficult chapters of the book. ❤️🩹 Also, she and Blossom care for each other’s wellbeing so much and that warms my heart.
Castien’s love for Wren is totally pure, and it shows. 🌹🤍 When she felt broken and used, Castien was so reassuring, loving and encouraging her through her inner struggles. He was 100% there for her, knowing with his whole heart that Wren is so much more than her past and what she went through, and that he would love her in every lifetime no matter what! All you men out there, take notes!! He always puts her first, and not once does he pressure her into anything, he waits for her with patience and respect. 👏🏻😩❤️🔥 I think it’s so special how we as readers get a glimpse of his deep passion and desire for her through her Gift. I applaud Conwell for capturing Castien’s longing for Wren—without crossing into anything inappropriate. I could go on and on about this man!!
Finn is comical as always, but it’s becoming more and more evident that his character has a depth that is yet to be revealed, which I’m super excited for! 🫶🏻🌼 The grief he experiences in the later half of this book is palpable, and I think the readers’ connection to him only grows throughout the story.
The only criticism I have is a small one, and that’s just some of the words that Conwell uses a bit too frequently, such as ‘rasped’ (i.e. he rasped).
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I would recommend this duology ten times over!
April 9, 2026
6 stars!!
This review is for the duology as a whole, since there’s really no way to rate it otherwise.
I cannot describe how engrossed I was in this duology. The mystery, the characters, and the YEARNING really made me fall in love with this world and story. The characters are so well written and thought out that all of their interactions with each other make sense and we understand how they are impacted by different actions and words without even needing their explicit insight (which in some cases, we are amazingly given anyways because it’s duel POV). The romance was definitely a slow burn, although not in the way I was expecting. The feelings were there fairly early on, but various doubts and internal struggle caused the tension to build in a way that was simply incredible to experience. The two main characters fit together so beautifully, with each part of their intricate personalities playing off of each other really well. The main characters also had amazing friends and family that you couldn’t help but love, and you could feel the affection radiating off the page. The plot was PLOTTING and definitely kept me up till way too early in the morning.
Something to keep in mind for future readers is that the duology doesn’t have the typical structure and arcs you would expect from individual books. It truly needs to be read as one book with an intermission in between. I was lucky as a KU reader because I stumbled upon the first book, read it in a single day, then discovered that the second had come out just a few days prior. Because it’s like a single long story, the plot may seem to drag in moments, although personally I never found an issue with it. The prose was so engaging that despite the lack of action in moments, I didn’t feel bored. The second book doesn’t have a single boring moment and was really one of the best books I’ve ever read. Overall, this story and these characters will stick with me for a long time.
This review is for the duology as a whole, since there’s really no way to rate it otherwise.
I cannot describe how engrossed I was in this duology. The mystery, the characters, and the YEARNING really made me fall in love with this world and story. The characters are so well written and thought out that all of their interactions with each other make sense and we understand how they are impacted by different actions and words without even needing their explicit insight (which in some cases, we are amazingly given anyways because it’s duel POV). The romance was definitely a slow burn, although not in the way I was expecting. The feelings were there fairly early on, but various doubts and internal struggle caused the tension to build in a way that was simply incredible to experience. The two main characters fit together so beautifully, with each part of their intricate personalities playing off of each other really well. The main characters also had amazing friends and family that you couldn’t help but love, and you could feel the affection radiating off the page. The plot was PLOTTING and definitely kept me up till way too early in the morning.
Something to keep in mind for future readers is that the duology doesn’t have the typical structure and arcs you would expect from individual books. It truly needs to be read as one book with an intermission in between. I was lucky as a KU reader because I stumbled upon the first book, read it in a single day, then discovered that the second had come out just a few days prior. Because it’s like a single long story, the plot may seem to drag in moments, although personally I never found an issue with it. The prose was so engaging that despite the lack of action in moments, I didn’t feel bored. The second book doesn’t have a single boring moment and was really one of the best books I’ve ever read. Overall, this story and these characters will stick with me for a long time.
April 1, 2026
Most sequels don’t live up to the first book, especially when you have very high expectations but this book pulled me in from the very first page! It picks up right at the cliffhanger & it might as well have been an extension of the first book it was so good! I devoured the whole book in a day….sneaking pages every free minute I could find! I LOVE that we get so much more of Wren & Castien together in this book!! They really have to decide if they will trust each other & they have more of a partnership that is beautiful to behold! The letters continue to be one of my favorite things! Sometimes writing something to someone is the only way to clearly say what you mean & be truly honest in a way that we aren’t always brave enough to do in person. Castien’s love is on display throughout this entire book in every glance & touch he lends her support, gives her space at his own expense, & is willing to give her anything big or small that is within his power to give. I love all the little moments…Castien giving Wren a dagger lesson, chasing Wren to get a letter, climbing through the window, Tidesick in the tunnels, first kiss, the way that Cas loves Wren with every beat of his heart, & the ending that leaves you smiling like an idiot! This story takes you on a roller coaster of emotions from the mystery of the killer to the emotional highs & lows that are life & fighting to make a better life where love casts out fear! An amazing story that I didn’t want to end! I hope I did this book credit because it was so good that it I struggled to find the words to say how much I loved it! I wish for more Cas & Wren stories but I am very excited that Finn is getting his own story! Any woman who can handle Finn is bound to remarkable & that is something I suspect will be highly entertaining!!
April 4, 2026
Thank you to the author for the e-ARC of Tides of Secrets by A.R. Conwell. All opinions are my own.
Before starting this book, I re-read Ocean of Ink to refresh my memory of the characters and world. I would recommend doing this if you don’t remember all what happened in book one because this book picks up right where that book left off.
The pacing of this book is a bit quicker and more consistent throughout compared to the first book since the characters have already been introduced.
Tides of Secrets cemented my love for Castien. I already thought I liked his character in book one, but wow, I loved him in this sequel even more. He is just such a thoughtful person and tried his best to protect those he cared about. Even when Wren didn’t realize it, Castien was behind her completely and would’ve done anything for her.
The romance in this story was just so beautiful because Castien didn’t push Wren to heal faster but patiently waited for her and tried to do what was best for her even when it wasn’t exactly what he wanted.
I also enjoyed getting to know the side characters more, and it felt like by the end of this book that there was a found family for both Wren and Castien.
The mystery behind the attacks was not easy to solve, and I really wasn’t sure who to trust until the very end. I think there was a nice balance between the mystery and the romance in this story that truly made me interested in both parts of the plot.
This story, while hopeful in many ways, does have moments that are quite sad and potentially triggering. Please keep this in mind before picking this book up.
Overall, I loved this book and can’t wait to read more stories set in this world. If you’re looking for a good fantasy romance without graphic content, I would recommend The Obsidian Academy duet because it has such lovely characters, an interesting fantasy world, and a beautiful romance.
Before starting this book, I re-read Ocean of Ink to refresh my memory of the characters and world. I would recommend doing this if you don’t remember all what happened in book one because this book picks up right where that book left off.
The pacing of this book is a bit quicker and more consistent throughout compared to the first book since the characters have already been introduced.
Tides of Secrets cemented my love for Castien. I already thought I liked his character in book one, but wow, I loved him in this sequel even more. He is just such a thoughtful person and tried his best to protect those he cared about. Even when Wren didn’t realize it, Castien was behind her completely and would’ve done anything for her.
The romance in this story was just so beautiful because Castien didn’t push Wren to heal faster but patiently waited for her and tried to do what was best for her even when it wasn’t exactly what he wanted.
I also enjoyed getting to know the side characters more, and it felt like by the end of this book that there was a found family for both Wren and Castien.
The mystery behind the attacks was not easy to solve, and I really wasn’t sure who to trust until the very end. I think there was a nice balance between the mystery and the romance in this story that truly made me interested in both parts of the plot.
This story, while hopeful in many ways, does have moments that are quite sad and potentially triggering. Please keep this in mind before picking this book up.
Overall, I loved this book and can’t wait to read more stories set in this world. If you’re looking for a good fantasy romance without graphic content, I would recommend The Obsidian Academy duet because it has such lovely characters, an interesting fantasy world, and a beautiful romance.
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