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inkandplasma 's review for:
Iron Heart
by Nina Varela
Blog Tour post to come on September 8th: https://inkandplasma.com/2020/09/08/iron-heart/
Rating: 5 stars!
Thanks to HarperTeen and Caffeine Book Tours for the eARC of this book. It has not affected my honest review.
Trigger Warnings: torture, murder, body horror, kidnapping.
I’ve been anticipating Iron Heart since before I’d actually finished Crier’s War, I loved the first book just that much. It reached a point where I was worried I was over-hyping and that it wouldn’t live up to it. But Iron Heart absolutely did not disappoint. I was swept away by the conclusion to this epic duology, particularly having had no idea what was going to happen next when I finished Crier’s War. I actually reread Crier’s War prior to reading Iron Heart, but if it’s been a while since you’ve read it, you’ll be okay. The beginning of Iron Heart gently reminds you of everything that you need to know – but who wouldn’t jump on the opportunity to reread Crier’s War?
Iron Heart is more political than Crier’s War with more of a focus on the conflict between ARM and the humans, which I really enjoyed as I had been so curious about life outside Rabu. I liked getting to see more of the world, Iron Heart delves into Thalen and the rest of Varn, which is a very different kind of world to Rabu. Seeing the relationships between Automae and humans was fascinating, as it was hinted at in the first book but properly delved into here that the way humans were treated in Rabu wasn’t the same as how they were treated in Varn. It also let Nina Varela gift us with a glorious fake dating scene that I didn’t expect but passionately, passionately loved. The titular Iron Heart is also featured, though I won’t go into detail how, and that really made me feel the depth of world-building in this story, as I had expectations in mind that were totally shattered. This is a fast paced and incredibly concluded series, with the secrets and mysteries from the first book carefully unravelled and leading to a satisfying conclusion.
And then there’s the obvious draw of this sequel. Crier and Ayla. Crier and Ayla. The end of Crier’s War was an emotional masterpiece and I couldn’t wait to see how it played out in the sequel. And oh boy, it was perfection when they collided again. I’m a sucker for enemies-to-lovers but I hate when the complex emotions between them are just dropped for love (yes, I love the yearning and the uncertainty, I’m a masochist). Iron Heart nailed it, with gorgeous conflicted feelings and so, so much yearning. Sapphics will be fed well in this one. The emotional pay off was so good, and I’m already planning on rereading the whole series the second I have my hardback in my hands.
Rating: 5 stars!
Thanks to HarperTeen and Caffeine Book Tours for the eARC of this book. It has not affected my honest review.
Trigger Warnings: torture, murder, body horror, kidnapping.
I’ve been anticipating Iron Heart since before I’d actually finished Crier’s War, I loved the first book just that much. It reached a point where I was worried I was over-hyping and that it wouldn’t live up to it. But Iron Heart absolutely did not disappoint. I was swept away by the conclusion to this epic duology, particularly having had no idea what was going to happen next when I finished Crier’s War. I actually reread Crier’s War prior to reading Iron Heart, but if it’s been a while since you’ve read it, you’ll be okay. The beginning of Iron Heart gently reminds you of everything that you need to know – but who wouldn’t jump on the opportunity to reread Crier’s War?
Iron Heart is more political than Crier’s War with more of a focus on the conflict between ARM and the humans, which I really enjoyed as I had been so curious about life outside Rabu. I liked getting to see more of the world, Iron Heart delves into Thalen and the rest of Varn, which is a very different kind of world to Rabu. Seeing the relationships between Automae and humans was fascinating, as it was hinted at in the first book but properly delved into here that the way humans were treated in Rabu wasn’t the same as how they were treated in Varn. It also let Nina Varela gift us with a glorious fake dating scene that I didn’t expect but passionately, passionately loved. The titular Iron Heart is also featured, though I won’t go into detail how, and that really made me feel the depth of world-building in this story, as I had expectations in mind that were totally shattered. This is a fast paced and incredibly concluded series, with the secrets and mysteries from the first book carefully unravelled and leading to a satisfying conclusion.
And then there’s the obvious draw of this sequel. Crier and Ayla. Crier and Ayla. The end of Crier’s War was an emotional masterpiece and I couldn’t wait to see how it played out in the sequel. And oh boy, it was perfection when they collided again. I’m a sucker for enemies-to-lovers but I hate when the complex emotions between them are just dropped for love (yes, I love the yearning and the uncertainty, I’m a masochist). Iron Heart nailed it, with gorgeous conflicted feelings and so, so much yearning. Sapphics will be fed well in this one. The emotional pay off was so good, and I’m already planning on rereading the whole series the second I have my hardback in my hands.