Spoilers are in this review.


After I originally read this when it finally released last year (after 5 years of constantly checking for updates that borderline religiously), i wanted to give it a 3.5 mainly because of how easy the conclusion was with

divine intervention

but I'm glad i didn't.

Love being the reason why the game ended? ...really? I don't know, I feel like the book needed to set up this premise a little earlier in the beginning for this to be believable. Definitely felt like it was out of no where and a cop out. I understand that she was *the* bad card in literally all of of the previous games but it didn't feel like it belonged. Her epiphany ended centuries of bloodshed and terror?

There's so much heart, thought and plot in this story. I cried several times towards the end both during the original read and the reread. If a book can make me weep, it's definitely worth more than 3 stars. You can feel the times where the author had to put the book down to do other things because the storyline became too complicated. The line, "Time you thief" is so internalizing depressing and those emotions were dripping off the page. I'm glad it wasn't edited out of the final copy. I can imagine how many times she had rewrote that chapter.

Despite routing for Jack the entire time since book 1, I think Aric deserved better than the last few pages. It was a genuine slap in the face when he and Jack was reincarnated simultaneously. I understand why it happened and the logic behind it but I don't have to like it. I'm 100% here for polygamous relationships (some of my favourite books of all time features this dynamic) but it still felt unsavoury for her to life a lifetime with Jack only to get him again as a round #2 alongside Aric. Neither of them "deserve" Evie because she's not a reward to be bestowed upon someone. That sentiment applies to Evie with her relationship with them both. I understand that everything worked out by the last page but I still wanted more clues or a set up somewhere in the middle  or begging for this. Maybe even inner dialogue from Jack and Aric stating they would be happy to be in this type of dynamic. The entire time, it sounded like they were willing to give her up to each other rather then to live alongside each other or even together. Thruple relationships only work with explicit agreements--not just putting their feelings aside to let her "have them both."

I originally hated the way that Ivy's entire life basically ended once Evie hijacked her body by getting her previous memories. But after re-reading it, I don't have this issue anymore. I think I was trying to find flaws after the "power of love" seemingly ended the game.

Most of the dialogue was amazing (making Ritcher say he hated women outright was a little out of no where tbh; he appeared to hate everyone equally based on his past interactions), the action scenes were terrific, the storyline was consistent and no characters sounded drastically different despite how much time past between books. Although everyone sounded older than they were before,  I believe they deserve to after everything they've been through. I loved how everyone died, including Gabe. It felt meaningful.

Matto is the best. 
"My heart hurts all the time."
"Matthew was finally free."

Truly a 5/5 star series. This was my first favourite series and I stand by that now. Even after I thought this was only a 3.5, it never moved from my #1 spot.

Edit: My heart is still fluttering.