Anathema (The Eating Woods)

Zevander I am sorry you have been through a lot

A lot of info dumping for the first 200 pages. My mind was scrambled trying to keep the magic systems and cultures straight. The FMC and MMC do not interact until about 350 pages into the book either which had me losing patience as the book was quite boring otherwise.

Thoroughly enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read the next. The gothic layers and world building was so satisfying. I enjoyed the characters, specifically RyKaia and hope to see more of her story.

Anathema by Keri Lake completely consumed me. I dove in not knowing much beyond the cover and title, and honestly? That made the ride even more exhilarating. What I found was a beautifully written, dark, and twisted tale that blurred the line between fantasy and horror in the best possible way. From the first chapter, the atmosphere hooked me—gothic, eerie, and richly immersive. The world Lake created is filled with shadowy forests, old magic, and a haunting sense of danger that gave me serious Sleepy Hollow and The Witcher vibes. I imagined Zevander as a black-haired Geralt, and that image absolutely lived rent-free in my head the entire time. He’s everything I want in a morally grey MMC—ruthless when he needs to be, but never with her. He's definitely earned a top spot on my Book Boyfriend list. This story isn’t driven by romance (though it’s there, and deliciously tense in moments). Instead, it’s a dark fantasy at its core, which was such a refreshing change of pace from my usual reads. There are a few classic tropes peppered in—Forced Proximity, the One Bed Trope—and my favorite of all: Found Family. That dynamic added a surprising depth to the story and made me even more emotionally invested. The plot is full of unexpected twists and turns, with a creeping sense of horror that I genuinely didn’t anticipate. It's violent, visceral, and at times downright chilling—but balanced by lyrical prose that makes even the darkest scenes feel strangely beautiful. My only complaint? That cliffhanger. What the actual F. I need the next book now. If you're thinking of picking this up for romance alone, you might want to reset your expectations—but if you're craving a brooding, witchy, medieval fantasy with stunning writing, morally grey characters, and gothic atmosphere, Anathema is an absolute must-read.

ANATHEMA → KERI LAKE ⭐ 4.5/5 🔥 2/5 · Maevyth Bronwick, a excluída da vila, sempre foi avisada para ficar longe da floresta Eating Woods. Um lugar onde, se você entra, nunca mais sai. Mas quando ela é forçada a correr para o meio dessas terras assustadoras, um novo mundo se abre diante dela. Literalmente. Ela acaba num lugar cheio de magia sombria, criaturas aterrorizantes e magos que só querem vê-la morta. Será que ela vai conseguir sobreviver? Mal sabia ela que lá encontraria Zevander Rydainn, o senhor amaldiçoado de Eidolon, que a alguns capítulos atrás estava tentando assassinar ela (que fofinho ☺️), porque o sangue da nossa bruxinha é uma das chaves para curar sua maldição. Claro que ele não consegue cumprir essa missão, já que a sua magia estava atacando ele em vez dela. Então imagina a surpresa dele quando ela aparece ali, no seu mundo. A escrita da Keri Lake é sempre envolvente e vívida, mas nesse livro ela se superou ao criar um mundo fantástico e perturbador, cheio de línguas, lendas, linhagens, criaturas únicas e um sistema de magia fascinante. Esse é o romance mais slow burn que você vai ver, mas é claro que não falta a tensão insuportável do nosso casal, diálogos engraçados e uma química elétrica. Eles não se suportam, mas o Zevander precisa treinar a Maeve, para que ela consiga atingir todo o seu potencial, já que ela é um mistério para todo mundo. Esses dois personagens realmente trazem o melhor um do outro, e mal posso esperar pra ver como o relacionamento deles vai evoluir no último livro! · ⚠️ Olhem os gatilhos com antecedência e se divirtam.

This book is phenomenal, perfect spooky, gothic read.

My copy is missing pages...