Gah! This book stole a little piece of my heart. Knox and Crewawult are from different worlds - - she's the pampered daughter of a wealthy and elite white upper crust family of the South and he is a warrior from a Native American tribe (fictionalized for this book) known as the Ulayu.

Knox is disillusioned by the people in her small part of the world. Her mother doesn't seem to truly "see" her. She only cares about her marrying well. Her father is so busy with his blood thirst for killing the savages that it's all he can see. Her friends think she has everything because she's engaged to the son of a wealthy plantation owner and the man she truly loves has just shunned her in the worst way.

Crew is a deadly warrior for his people. He hates the amount of blood on his hands but he would do it over again to protect those he cares about and to keep them from having to dirty their own hands. He is no typical warrior - he is "the warrior." He is someone the others look to and follow. He has no desire to fall in love with anyone and is happy to be with a different woman every night. Yet there is something about Know that fascinates him.

When Knox is taken by Crew and the others and held hostage, she fears for her life but when she arrives at their home, the people she meets are nothing like what she expects. It changes everything she thought she knew about the battles occurring between the settlers and the Native Americans. Who are the true savages in the scenario? Everything Knox begins to see indicates it's her own people.

There's so much to this book that can't even be touched on. There is a great deal of world building and character development so there are times that the book feels as if it moves slowly but then it will take off again. I absolutely loved it. It's a beautiful story - - it's a romance between two people but also a story about the familial relationship between a group of people that truly care about one another and have each other's backs through everything. I inhaled this book in just a little over one day and it's not exactly a short book. I absolutely cannot wait for the second book.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I chose to read and review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

Rating: 5 stars
Thank you Jos Gordon for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC provided by netgalley.

“The owl signals the beginning of the end but the mark symbolizes hope, unity and strength.”

Trigger warnings: Rape, miscarriage, racism

Knox lives in Louisiana in 1829, as a wealthy Civ, the daughter of the General and promised to a wealthy man with a plantation. Why does she feel as though this will never be enough for her? Why do the people around her treat the natives as if they are savages? Are the natives really as bad as they claim?

Jos Gordon has done a tremendous job with The Wreckage of Light. This type of novel is not something I would usually choose to read. However, I was captured by the cover and the title. We experience mainly the point of view of Knox Adler, the wealthy Civ, who has her whole life planned out for her and Crewault the incredible warrior of Ulayu. Throughout the novel we also experience the point of view of many of the characters Knox meets. This gives the reader immense insight into the story and further understanding.

In 1829 a white woman is expected to depend solely on the man of the house and be as delicate as a flower. As we travel through Knox’s journey she continues to prove that she is not just another weak woman. I love that Knox continues to prove herself as worthy as any man in this book and takes any challenge head on that the Ulayu throw at her .

During the novel I love how Crew tries to push his feelings down for Knox as he could not possibly love a Civ woman.

The cliffhanger at the end of this book! Jos Gordon why have you done this to me? Wreckage of Light was only released on the 10th of September 2023 and I already need to read the second book. If you want a book to leave you hanging on the edge of your seat and “patiently” waiting for the sequel, this is it.

Overall, I absolutely loved this book and would highly recommend you read it or put it on your TBR list.

I will be positing a video review to tiktok and a written review on Instagram on the 12/09/23 around 7pm AEST. I have already submitted my written review to Goodreads and amazon.

Knox Adler is a flawless Southern belle in the new state of Louisiana, engaged to a rich sugarcane heir. She is captured by the local Indians, the Ulayu, who are known for their ruthlessness. Crew, one of the Ulayu warriors, is one of the most dangerous men that Knox has ever met.

Some of the racial issues were really hard for me to read. (There's a content warning about this at the beginning, and I was aware of this going into it, but it is worth noting.) I realize it's an integral part of the story, and it's deliberate, but readers who are sensitive to this, please go into this book with your eyes open, and take care of yourselves. ❤️

That said, this was a beautifully written story. I loved getting to know the Ulayu, watching the relationship with Knox and Crew evolve and grow into something special, and seeing the beautiful world that the author created for us.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced digital reader's copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed this, the Ulayu world was built brilliantly considering they were a total figment of the authors imagination, the layers and depth of the tribe, their traditions and even their games, all fascinating to read.

There is a constant undercurrent of brutality and fear throughout this book, both from the ‘Civs’ and the Ulayu and other tribes, however I still felt an overwhelming protective feeling for the Ulayu, hoping that Knox wouldn’t return to her past and to a Father who was causing so much destruction.

The majority of this book is a love story, the outlying characters all fit in to it in varying ways, but it’s basically Knox and Crews story. It’s frustrating and maddening at times, when revelations come out it’s understandable why Crew is the way he is but you still are desperate for them to give in and admit their feelings,

The book ends on a cliffhanger and I can’t wait to read the next one!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the chance to read and review this book.

What can I say about this story?

This is not a genre I typically go for, however the cover and description pulled me in, and I am so glad it did.
The story is touching and engaging, and I love that the author brought in a fictional tribe with relevant issues.
After the first few chapters the story went quickly . The character work is great, banter is well done . If you like historical fiction definitely give this one a try!

Wreckage of Light by Jos Gordon
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This was not a book I would normally read, but, I was enchanted by the cover, so I thought I would give it a try. Within the first few chapters, I was so invested in Knox and her story. Knox was great from the start, she’s genuinely kind, smart, funny and very strong. Her journey with the Ulayu warriors was a story I will never forget. Gordon does an amazing job creating a fictional Native American tribe, while also paying respect to those that are real and their beliefs. I absolutely loved Mareen, Night Hawk, Took, their whole unit really, but especially Crew. They had such a great balance of personalities and it made for a very smooth and balanced story. Took actually had me laughing out loud with his comments and antics, and everyone deserves a friend like Mareen! But Crew was obviously my favorite. He was the perfect balance of brooding and encouraging. I loved his encouragement and his constant pushing of Knox to help her break herself out of the “perfect” shell she was forced to live in for so long. I do wish they didn’t fight their relationship for as long as they did, but I understand their reasonings behind it. This book ends on a cliff hanger and I dying to get the next book so I can continue their story! I really loved this one, and was grateful to receive a free copy as an ARC and I’m willingly leaving this honest review.

There are so many strong characters, Knox and Crew being two of them that work and live against great odds. Lots of action and reaction. The narrative is filled with multicultural interest - namely the whites vs the Ulayu. Racism is rife and the ensuing hate and brutality that abounds against each other will stop and give you pause. However, the author explains this setting scenario.

Betrayal clatters in and there is some paranormal activity, which adds mystery. It's very believable though but could there be any acceptance from either side of the ethnic divide that may even provide a bridge of understanding?! And what does the 'owl' have to do with it all? Tantalising romance is laced through this bewitching saga. Being left hanging on at the end will likely leave the reader panting for the proposed next book in the series, I believe.

There is a precaution with content that some readers may wish to be aware of and that is all the 'stahl'-ing that happens whenever, wherever, seemingly unabated. You'll have to check out the useful glossary of the Ulayu language provided at book's end for direct translation. Ok, you may be able to guess that to 'stahl' is a very intimate action.

A 4-Star rating from me.

~Eunice C., Reviewer/Blogger~

Disclaimer: This is my honest opinion based on the complimentary review copy sent by NetGalley and the publisher.

I really enjoyed this Arc (thank you Netgalley!).

I wasn’t too sure that I was going to end up liking The Wreckage of Light as its story is not one that I normally gravitate towards. But I was pleasantly surprised how quickly I was captured by the characters and the story itself. I also enjoyed the tropes including the forbidden romance one.

I will say that this book does end on a minor cliffhanger (to me at least, it’s a minor cliffhanger) that just encourages my excitement to read the second book.

I expected an historical romance but felt like reading some futuristic fantasy novel. Maybe I am just too old for it and it might appeal to an audience of Young Adults. I however quit about 30% in.
As I think thanking an author for a free book would not mean to publish a bad review I am only leaving one here.

This took me a couple of chapters to really get into but then I was hooked!
I love a duel POV and this did not disappoint, I enjoyed the character & world building and I found myself imagining what it would be like to be there experiencing everything!
I love the family that the ulayu have formed together and am really enjoying seeing Knox come out of the ‘perfect’ persona that she has had to hide behind.
I love seeing crew fighting with his feelings towards Knox and how they both slowly start to open up to each other.
I absolutely loved seeing Knox show everyone that she wasn’t weak and that she could achieve everything they forced upon her.
Took….. what can can I say about Took? I had so much love for his banter and was constantly smiling when reading anything with him in it. I was absolutely heartbroken with what happened at the stables and was so sad that his ending had happened!! I was so happy when he came back, I don’t think the ulayu would be the same without him!
Knox and Crew really needed to get a grip and stop with the back and forth!! It drove me insane! It literally made me so excited when they finally accepted their feelings for each other!
Everyone needs a friend like Mareen in their life, I felt an instant love for her and feel kinda sad that she isn’t an actual person!
I can’t believe the book ended like it did! I have been so obsessed reading this and actually sad that Iv finished it!
Can’t not wait for the next book I hope we don’t have to wait too long for it!