Book: Tortured Souls by Melissa K. Roehrich
Reviewed by plotdrunk
Rating: 5/5
I had the honor of reading an ARC of Tortured Souls, and this was an easy five-star read for me. Somehow everything Melissa K. Roehrich writes continues to level up. This is book one of a prequel duology to the Lady of Darkness series and ties into the larger world of the Legacy series, both of which I have read and loved, but it absolutely stands on its own. You can read this in any order without spoiling the other series, which is incredibly hard to pull off.
I was completely captivated from start to finish. Because I’ve read the connected series, I loved seeing characters I already knew through an entirely new lens. Their backstories added depth without feeling forced, and the tension between them was electric. We get morally grey characters, manipulation mixed with devotion, sharp banter, forced marriage, and chemistry that grows without relying on the usual tropes. The romance felt fresh but still true to who these characters are in a way that still managed to surprise me even when I thought I knew them.
The worldbuilding wove seamlessly into the larger world built throughout Melissa's other series without giving anything away. More than once, I thought I knew where things were headed and was proven wrong. The ending was absolute chaos (as they always are!) in the best way. The final stretch was twisty, fast-paced, and full of surprises, with a cliffhanger that made me desperate for book two without tipping me into a full book hangover.
Melissa was already an auto-buy author for me, and this may be my favorite thing she’s written yet. If you love morally grey characters, high tension, neurodivergence representation, and a fantasy world that keeps expanding in smart ways, this one is for you.