This beautiful story captured my heart, tore it to shreds, and pieced it back together again.

Maybe that's a bit dramatic, but it fits. This book--this series!--is a thrill RIDE, people. I never thought I'd be so invested in events that happened half a world away from me 650ish years ago. Each book in the Balkan Legends series dives deeper into the fight for Christianity in the middle ages and makes me better appreciate the freedoms and life that I enjoy in the twenty-first century.

The characters are complex, the stakes are high, and the battles are fierce. This was one of those books where I read it a little at a time until I found that I couldn't put it down. Unpredictable, inspirational, and educational all in one. It might be the beginning of January, but this is going to be one of my top reads for 2025!

Thanks to the author for sending me an advanced copy to review. I was not required to post a positive review and all opinions are my own.

“What would you sacrifice for your family, for your people?”

All the stars! Beyond the Crescent Sky is a book I won’t soon forget. This brilliantly written story of epic battles, heart-achingly beautiful romance, & sacrifice took hold & didn’t let go until the very last page. A.L. Soward’s beautiful writing brings the perilous times of 1383 AD to life in this riveting series of the Balkans and one family’s fight for freedom. In this latest coming of age story, Ivan Miroslavević proves himself in battle, honor, & love as he wins the heart of a brave woman who’s his savior but also his enemy.

Ivan leaves his home to help his brother Konstantin in battle against the Greeks. When he finds himself wounded & a prisoner, his only solace is Helena, the beautiful woman who nurses him back to health. Though she’s his enemy, he sees her honor, intelligence, & skills as a midwife as well as her beauty. Ivan is a pawn in the battle between the Serbs & Greeks, but when their common enemy, the Turks threatens them both, Ivan has to decide just what he’s willing to sacrifice to protect the ones he loves.

Helena’s a talented midwife who is more comfortable delivering babies than nursing battle wounds. When her skills are needed to keep a prisoner alive, she finds herself caught between loving an enemy & her people. As she finds herself falling deeper in love, she makes an unimaginable sacrifice to keep her people & loved ones safe.

I absolutely adored this rollercoaster ride of a story! I experienced the gamut of emotions while reading & couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. It’s a heart-wrenching story with so many twists & turns that really brought the complexities of this time period to life. The characters were so endearing & multifaceted. Both Ivan & Helena go through so much & I was deeply invested in their story, hoping they’d find a happily ever after. The growth Ivan experiences was inspiring as he’s able to turn each defeat into a triumph. Helena too is so admirable & I respected her so much for the agonizing decisions she’s forced to make.

It’s a story that I’ll be thinking about for a long time & one that had me on pins & needles until the very end! Highest of recommendations for this epic story & the whole series. I can’t wait for Danilo’s story. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided.

AL Sowards does a beautiful job of portraying the good and hard in the challenging and uncertain times of medieval Serbia. The first half of this book is mostly rich historical fiction, full of war-like conditions. Midwife and healer, Helena, emerges as a brilliant ray of light early on in this story and her compassion and kindness goes a long way with enemy prisoner, Ivan.

The second half of this book develops a forbidden romance between two enemies in a not so typical enemies-to-love tale. While there are many tragedies, the characters rise to the daunting tasks they each face as they fight to forge peace or follow one's heart–while real-life battles continue to wage.

This series quickly became a favorite, as each situation is vivid and the fragile fragments of life and love are so easily breakable, but this installment solidified everything for me. Life during this time was very unpredictable and what was strong and stable one moment was gone the next. The powerful emotions that this author evokes were gripping. I didn’t want to put this book down and I’m completely invested in what will happen next.

Relatable although centuries apart, Helena and Ivan captured my heart.

Content: mild romance; mild religion; mild+ violence (war-type that is a little descriptive, but not gory)

Prepare yourself to be swept away by Ms. Soward's newest book, Beyond the Crescent Sky. Her gift for storytelling and meticulous research are the perfect recipe for The Balkan Legends, a monumental series that rivals some of the well-known epics of the past.

In this second book of the series, readers will ride a roller coaster of emotions as Ivan and Helena face several battles that span years, hoping for their happy ending. It chronicles the conflicts between the different ethnic groups that were jostling for power in the region. Spanning years of conflict, battles and sieges, spies and espionage, loyalty and friendships will be tested. Will a united front defeat a common foe?

I found the story to be expertly plotted, riveting and realistic. I really enjoyed reading a book that was set at a point in history that is not common in today's historical fiction. I found the history and author's notes at the end intriguing. Helena and Ivan wound their way into my heart. Their heroic deeds reminiscent of the epic heroes of legend.

Highly recommend for fans of historical fiction.

Content warning- A clean read except for the violence associated with war in the Middle Ages. Several battle scenes.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley and the author/publisher. I was not required to write a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

A.L. Sowards does it again with a beautifully written and engrossing historical fiction novel. This is book #2 in the Balkans series.
I love how Sowards chooses places and cultures that are not super popular. My knowledge on the Balkan region is minimal, but this certainly taught me a lot about the region and cultures during the Medieval period. Next Sowards' attention to characterization, suspense, wartime drama, family lineage and dare I say it, romance is 1000% perfection. Helena, a healer, and Ivan, a warrior have tangible depth and synergy. A warning to the readers this one will tear out your heart strings. It's a ride but one that you will never forget!

Thank you to #shadowmountainpublishing, the author, and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

✨BEYOND THE CRESCENT SKY✨

--The Balkans 1383--

Helena is a healer. Ivan is her prisoner. Caught in the crossfire of war, they must choose: loyalty, or love.

Return again to the 1300s where the Serbs continue to find themselves caught in the clutches of the Ottoman Empire surrounded by enemies on all sides. After reading about the young Lord turned Zupan over his people, we get to see his young brother's story, Ivan. Full of deceit and war, Ivan finds himself captive to a Greek nation, where he meets a beautiful healer.

A.L. Sowards is a master of historical fiction. I was absolutely wrecked by this story from beginning to end. I found myself on the edge of my seat in many scenes! The setting and history was wonderfully done and I felt I was taken back in time.

I will always pick up a story with a healer. Fantastic medical detail and I loved the medical history!

But let's get to my favorite part...Ivan and Helena! I adored the romance and relationship build throughout. Talk about melt my heart. Ivan and Helena are perfect. Yes I cried. 🫠🫠🫠

A.L. Sowards took me on an emotional rollercoaster but I have absolutely zero regrets. My favorite book in the series so far, but I have enjoyed the journey.

If you love histfic, I highly recommend picking up an A.L. Sowards book! For this series, start with the novella and read in order. It's an adventure that you have to start at the beginning!

This book releases tomorrow 1/7!! Thank you to @shadowmountainpub and @a.l.sowards
For my #gifted copy!

*Romance- closed door
*TW- wartime, near death experiences, miscarriage, abuse, descriptive fight/battle scenes, gore


#beyondthecrescentsky #alsowards #histfic #serbia #balkans #christianfiction #christianhistory #historicalromance #thebalkanlegends #characterrecreation #healer #pubday #newrelease

4.5 stars
Oh My Goodness!! This book was intriguing, engaging, heartbreaking, and heartwarming. I didn’t know how everything was going to turn out and I could not put it down. Beyond the Crescent Sky is the second book in A.L. Sowards’ Balkan Legends series.
I loved the growth of the characters, they had been through so much and yet they learned to be strong. I felt for both Ivan and Helena as they faced their trials head on. I was drawn to both of them from the beginning and I loved how their kindness and honor shone through amidst the struggles of war and enemies.
The story was engaging and I did not know how it was going to end. I despised the “bad” guy and was rooting for Ivan and Helena. They had a rough start but they came to be friends as Helena cared for Ivan. I liked how Ivan was honorable and faithful, he would fight for those he loved. Helena was sweet and yet she was strong. She stood up for what she believed and tried not to allow others to sway her.
The story was at times sad and yet it fit the book. These characters were fighting for their freedom and land, there were many battles fought. I really liked Danilo and I am so excited to see that he is getting his own book. It was also cool to meet some new characters and see their growth too.
I would definitely recommend Beyond the Crescent Sky! It was a lovely book with characters that drew you in. I know that the next book is going to be amazing. Beyond the Crescent Sky is a historical romance.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the publisher through Netgalley. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, a positive review was not required.

Content warnings: violent battle scenes with injuries and deaths including multiple beheadings , bloodshed, war violence, miscarriages, implied rape of unnamed characters

‘Beyond the Crescent Sky’ is an epic story full of adventure, romance, friendship, action, loyalty faith, and rich history. I was hooked from the start and didn’t want to put the book down once I started reading. It was a beautiful story that did not shy away from the heartbreaks of life.
While the book dealt with some heavy topics, it still felt hopeful, and there were some lighter moments to be found.
Helena and Ivan did not have an easy go of things. Their romance was so sweet, but it was not without pain. They had to be willing to do what was best for their people, even if that meant they put their own feelings and wants aside.
I throughly enjoyed this book and cannot wait to see what happens with our beloved characters in the next book.

This was a fantastic book! There is so much going on! There are lots of battles, prisoners of war, hostage situations and more but also a little bit of romance thrown in. I loved Helena and Ivan. They are both great strong characters. I loved how brave Helena was and very caring towards others even in the worst of circumstances. And Ivan is the strong protector that never gives up the fight no matter what. Please check content below before reading this book, just a heads up. Overall this story is just fantastic and I definitely recommend!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Content: war violence, lots of killing that is moderately graphic including beheadings, miscarriage, a birthing scene (mildly graphic), death from birthing


I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from netgalley and the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.

Epic, thrill ride, full of intrigue, intense, a triumph of the human spirit, all of these describe this book. A.L. Sowards has crafted another masterpiece. This book puts the reader through all emotions, love, hate, sorrow, triumph, heartache, jealousy, betrayal, redemption and more. The characters are so real, I felt that I was a part of their world. This book is not for the faint of heart. It grips you from the beginning and doesn't let go until the last page. I can hardly wait for Danilo's story. I highly recommend reading this book and this series. IT IS FANTASTIC!

A.L. Sowards transports readers to the 14th century with "Beyond the Crescent Sky", the second full-length novel of her riveting Balkan Legends series (there is a prequel novella.)

Continuing expansion of the Ottoman Empire, the Turks successfully employ a divide and conquer strategy, thereby pitting the Greeks and Serbs against each other. Ivan Miroslavević, injured and forced to be treated by the Greeks, finds himself falling for the "enemy". Gifted healer and midwife Helena is initially resentful; however she uses her skills to save Ivan.

With extensive research and attention to detail, Sowards proves she's a master of historical fiction. Cultural differences here are profound, i.e. harems. Even today, some Muslims have multiple wives. Oil wrestling is a Turkish sport to this day. As it is important to the plot, Christianity and Islam both play a part. This novel is not for the faint of heart. There are realistic and at times heartbreaking depictions of childbirth and miscarriage. Gruesome violence is at times vividly described. Again, while shocking, it is true to the time period. It was WAR, not a leisurely picnic.

Characterization is wonderful. Sowards' prose is crisp and evocative. Not only are her novels enjoyable, they are informative, and I always learn something new. There are no detailed love scenes; therefore this is a clean read. I suggest reading the installments in order. There is a time progression, and some characters feature in multiple books. I look forward to the next tale.

Thanks to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing for this compelling work.

#BeyondtheCrescentSky #NetGalley

This is the third book in the series. I learned so much about the wars and people of the Ottoman Empire. Helena is a midwife apprentice who is past the age to marry. She takes pleasure in helping babies be born but doesn't think she will ever be a mother. There's so much depth to this story with the war, prisoners, and trying to survive. The research this book must have taken to be so well written.

This was an incredibly well-written book! The author does an amazing job of transporting the reader into the heart of an unfamiliar setting and making them want to turn page after page. The plot line was very unique and full of twists and turns I never expected. The characters were strong and endearing and had me rooting for their successes and grieving their losses.

This engaging story is a wonderful addition to The Balkan Legends series by A. L. Sowards! Ivan had been portrayed weakened by illness, young and in need of protection in the earlier books - but he came into his own in this book. I loved his deep sense of honor and moral rectitude. Helena is practical, skilled, and feels deeply. I loved the respect she had for life as a midwife and the perspective this brought to the narrative. Though the timeline of this book spans years, the character growth and strength is something I came to rely on.their eventual happily ever after was all the sweeter for the wait. I'm looking forward for the series to wrap up a few loose ends and the other beloved characters to have their stories told!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions expressed are completely my own.

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Shadow Mountain Publishing. I'm voluntarily leaving a review, and all opinions are my own.

Genre: Historical Fiction, Historical Romance.
Content Warnings: Nothing is on the page, but it is explained that rape is part of war.
Readability: Though second in the series, I think you could read them out of order and still make sense.

BEYOND THE CRESCENT SKY is the second book in the Balkan Legends series and follows Ivan and Helena. It's interesting because we see the conflict between the Greeks, Serbs, and the "Turks" (the Ottoman Empire). I actually think this is a romance first and a historical fiction novel second. I loved seeing how Ivan fell for Helena. And the obstacles to keep them apart are heart-wrenching!

If you're interested in the Ottoman Empire, historical romance, or sweeping series without too much gore or sex, this is the book for you.

Happy reading!

A. L. Sowards does it again in this sequel to the Balkan Legends series, it had that element that I was looking for and enjoyed the feel of the world. It continued the story perfectly and was engaged with what was happening. The characters felt like they belonged there and was glad I read this.