(Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC—this one hits shelves in July 2025!) 

 

I went into this final book in the trilogy hoping for more Gabe—and I got it. He’s always been my favorite of the trio, and while he spends the first half being a bit of an idiot (tricked way more often than someone that hot should be), it somehow works. Maybe it’s the distraction of love and loyalty? Either way, I was glad to have more of his perspective. 

 

Lore, as our leading lady, is solid. Not my all-time favorite, but she holds her ground—clever, capable, a bit hardened by her past but still fighting for something better. Her instinct to build a found family remains one of my favorite parts of this story. That thread continues to weave through the book in ways both personal and powerful. 

 

I really liked how the POVs were handled in this one. Everyone’s scattered, everyone’s carrying their own piece of the puzzle, and watching it all slowly come together kept the tension just high enough to keep me turning pages. I especially loved Alie’s chapters—she had more space to shine here, and I was fully onboard for it. 

 

Bastian… less so. He’s never really been my favorite, and I was okay with him taking more of a backseat this time around. 

 

Now, the throuple. I’ll admit, I didn’t think I was in the mood for another one of these this month—but it worked. The romantic tension never overtakes the plot. Instead, it reads like another layer of the found family dynamic, just with more complicated feelings and the occasional kiss. There’s a quote in the book that nails it: Gabe is the catalyst, Bastian the salve, and Lore the end. It’s messy, but it makes sense. 

 

That said, I did want a stronger finish—especially from the god plotlines. Nyxara’s resolution felt anticlimactic. Apollius got the most focus (as expected), but Hestraon’s arc ended abruptly too. I was expecting the final act to be fast-paced and emotionally intense, but while it was enjoyable, it didn’t quite blow me away. 

 

There were also a few details that could have been trimmed—scenes that felt like filler rather than essential beats. Still, Whitten’s writing style remains a strength. Her pacing works for me, her world-building is vivid without being overwhelming, and she writes just enough darkness to make the hope stand out. 

 

Final note: what is with all the island rescues in my recent reads? Is that a trope now? Is it just me?