I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review

This is a prequel to [b:Phoenix Heart|22395228|Phoenix Heart|A.L. Wilson|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1401759477s/22395228.jpg|41816851], which I have not yet read. I had debated reading the other story first, but decided to start with this one due to time commitments. I really wish I had started with the other one and then read this. While this is a story that occurs before the next story, I felt like I was missing some of the connections between the characters that may have been explained in that book. Some of the information in this book seemed "assumed" because we should have already read it. Frankly, I may come back and re-look and re-rate this story after I have a chance to read Phoenix Heart and get to know the characters better.

That said, this was a very interesting story. In the beginning, I felt lost, but there was just enough of the characters for me to get a feel for who they are and what makes them tick. It is very clear Lorenz and Cyrus love each other very much. While going on a holiday to a place that has bad history for them, they find themselves embroiled in mystery and intrigue. This was an interesting story that leads back to a sanatorium. These two face a lot of supernatural beings in their quest and Lorenz faces his past.

Interesting story, and as I mentioned, after reading Phoenix Hearts, I may come back and re-read this to better appreciate it and enjoy it. I did enjoy this story without reading the first, but may like it more after getting a handle on Lorenz and Cyrus. ( )