Watching Laurent and Damen is really a rollercoaster that has gotten all in for you: love, desire, happiness, anxiety, anger, sadness, tears, more love.

I do need to say beforehand that I‘m rating this rather 4.5-4.8 than full 5 stars, but who cares about decimals?

The final book of the trilogy is more serious. It‘s either losing all or winning once and for all. Damen is finally a free man, having met old friends of his at the end of book two, people know him now for his true self: Damanios of Aekilos. I started this book, texting my friend, „WHEN WILL THEY MEET? WHEN WILL LAURENT KNOW?“ because I couldn‘t imagine the reaction of him. Damanios is his brother‘s killer, I‘m reminding you. How will Laurent react to know he let his brother‘s killer to his bed?

I was expecting EVERYTHING but not the reaction we got. Two words, and they killed me. Hello, Lover. Yes hello to you, too, Laurent. WHY ARE YOU TOYING WITH ME?

This book is the climax of Damen and Laurent‘s relationship. The final breaking point of their development - as individuals, but as partners, as well.

When I say it was a rollercoaster of emotions, I mean it.

These two have shattered my heart.

THIS IS THE EPILOGUE WE DESERVE AFTER KINGS RISING! BOY I WANT MORE. I NEED MORE LAURENT AND DAMEN IN MY LIFE. THIS WAS NOT ENOUGH

As much as I like to rate this less than five starts for the sole fact of who's the narrator of the story, I can't. There is something about Holly Black's writing, about her characters, about Faerieland that I can't love any less than I already do.
After finishing The Wicked King, I decided it's time to read this novella because I somehow didn't come around it earlier.
With 'The Cruel Prince', 'The Wicked King' and 'Queen Of Nothing', I can say for sure that Holly Black knows what title to choose for her stories. But I was not expecting to read a story about Jude's sister when I opened the e-book of 'The Lost Sisters'. Maybe I just didn't pay any attention, maybe I wasn't expecting to ever read anything interesting from Taryn. So as I read further into the book, I realized how much I love Holly Black's writing - even if it's a story about a character that I came to hate. I can't say I felt with Taryn or understood her. I have read the background stories of worse people, villains, and felt with them more than I ever could with Taryn. But I still enjoyed this short insight into her personality, her thoughts, her reasons. It's always so refreshing, interesting to see how other characters react or think - in a world you only know through the view of one person - so I did enjoy the novella as it was, and will mostly be praising Holly Black's way with words.

I can only recommend anyone to read this. Either to still your hunger for more after either finishing 'The Cruel Prince' or 'The Wicked King'. Or to get a insight on Taryn's personality. her thoughts and beliefs. Her dreams. Or you simply want to read Holly's beautiful writing for that is reason enough to go back to Faerieland.

It happens all the time that popular series with a wide set of characters, and incredible unique worldbuilding get companion novels with short stories. What Bardugo did with this one though is something you can‘t compare to other novellas. As much as this also serves the understanding of Grisha Verse world, this book gives an insight into a world, no simple short stories of individual characters and their background can give.

As someone who has loved fairytales from childhood, I have loved to analyze them further than just for what they are: tellings. Each culture, each land brings its very own tales and stories that can be linked to the very essence and history of them. Starting from the various mythologies we know and have learnt about in school, to the very fairytales we got read to as children.

What Bardugo did with this one is giving us a look on how the people and tales work in Ravka, Kerch, Fjerda and Zemeni. Each of them is unique and wraps us in the atmosphere needed to understand these four lands of the Grisha Verse. It gives more than just single stories. It tells stories of whole nations.

Bardugo‘s writing in this one is especially everything but ordinary. Having the tone of fairytales, the stories are read like the ones we know from our childhood days. In fact, you could almost believe in them, as much as you believed in Red Riding Hood, Hänsel and Gretel, The Snow Queen or the Little Mermaid.

While it was hard to get into the story because of that very peculiar tone in writing and a different set of atmosphere with each telling, each of them had come to an point where you had to know the end. The dark and twisted way of how these tales worked and were told brought you closer to the Grisha Verse world, asking yourself more questions than before, while having some answered.

What was also very exciting was the turn Bardugo took on well-known tales of our world. The Grisha Verse itself includes so many elements of our world, twisted and turned to a point of darkness only for us to meet a completely different world before ourselves. So it was probably the best to take things we know and turn them darker, and bloodier to create the atmosphere we needed.
I do have to do some further research on other stories, but I know for sure that we got a Nutcracker retelling, and the Witch Of Duva very much reminded me of Hansel and Gretel, while the last one could be a very own take of The Little Mermaid - or better her counterpart Ursula (in the disney version!).

To take stories we know and twist them to something wholly new does two things: connect us with the world of the Grisha verse and let us understand the culture, and emphazises the cultural elements she took from our world to recreate a different, new world in the Grisha Verse. And that is so so admiring!

For the individual stories:

Ayama and the Thorn Wood - 4 stars
The Too-Clever Fox - 4.5 stars
The Witch Of Duva - 4.5 stars
Little Knife - 3.5 stars
The Soldier Prince - 3.5 stars
When Water Sang Fire - 5 stars

A viking-themed book? Bet that I was screaming weeks before its release date already. Why then did it take me so long to pick it up then?

Since I binge-watched the show Vikings and spend hours researching about their history, traditions and norse mythology, I became obsessed with it. Not joking. Norse Mythology and everything vikings have become my go-to topic and I can‘t believe I didn‘t discover this part of history and culture sooner (well I could blame my fantastic school education for that. Why haven‘t we ever discussed vikings?). It was naturally for me to pick up this book and read it. But one reason why it took me almost a year to actually read it was the fact of this being a standalone novel. Don‘t take me wrong. I enjoy them, and it would be much smarter for a busy person like me to pick up more standalones, but I can‘t help my series-loving-self.

However, now I did pick it up and have read it, and enjoyed it a lot. It‘s a quick read you can easily manage in a day or two. Nothing too heavy, but still of some quality. What was bothering me though was one thing, and that thing was the problem throughout the whole book: the pace!

So we get thrown into a battle, hear foreign words of a language we can‘t google-translate in a second, need to try and understand what is Aska and what is Riki? Okay no big deal. It builds up a tension and you don‘t want to stop. The opposite is the case, you have to keep reading to know. Before we even have the chance to blink, we get thrown into a new battle, and yet again ask ourselves WHAT?. Still no big deal for me. Not at all. The beginning was fastpaced in a way that made you keep reading, not wanting to stop, craving for knowledge of this world. But then the pace slowed. Still reasonable. The battles are over, the pace is being adapted to the storyline. Now it‘s about the main character Eelyn adjusting to a improbable situation, and we finally get to know things. But as soon as the book hits the first half, we get thrown into a storyline which’s pace is quicker than the battle; one thing happens, then then the other.

And that‘s how from only one problem, we get two: we lose the emotional aspect.

While in the beginning, you clearly feel pain, betrayal, anger, sadness and so much more. The pace takes that away in the second half. I really felt with Eelyn. As much as I knew she was wrong, I still couldn‘t deny her feeling were right. For an author to achieve that is very admiring! But as the pace grew quicker and quicker, we lost that quality of the book. I knew people were tired but I didn‘t feel that they were. I knew people were mad, sad, betrayed, confused because I read the facts, not felt them. And this is when the so well done relationships between the characters became... flat. BUT I can‘t blame those aspects for what they have become because the blame clearly is on the pace!

Beside of that, this book brought so many aspects one can enjoy! Two clans driven by their worship for a different deity come together only to slaugther each other. Traditions that are so alike but so different. Clans that are wild, brutal, fearless while also being loyal, vulnerable and full emotions. You see? Lots of aspects to admire. And on top of that, we get a set of characters that we have to love. From their very first introduction. Brothers not by blood but bonded by past and understanding. Open-minded people and those who don‘t want to understand. So many facettes to discover on each pain. And just as I mentioned above, we were able to feel the emotion that came with each dialog, each event, each turn. And for that, I‘m applauding.

It was the relationships between the characters that have driven the story after a certain point and it was that what kept me turning one page after another until I was done. I loved them all, I wanted know everything about them and I felt with them. I understood them. I thought I was a part of them. And raise your glass of wine to Young for accomplishing that because that isn‘t easy but she did an amazing job!!!

And because we always have a need of adressing this specific matter, I will do so now: the romance. But due to details, I‘ll mark it as a spoiler.

It was clear from a very early beginning that Eelyn and Fiske are ending up together. Not that I wanted to complain. I was intrigued to see how these two souls will find their way to each other, and all there for it. And because hate-to-love is my mojo. And while I did enjoy some scenes I would have wished so badly for a better build up. I think Young would even be more than capable of building the perfect base for these two. It was the pace (yet again) that interfered with this. With so much going on, no time to sit and breathe, we got a romance after blinking two times when before that we just witness how they slowly gained some trust and respect for each other (and that took the first half of the book!). While I was happy for the lack of drama, I would have wished for more intimate scenes. And by intimate I mean more talking, more staring, more awkwardness, more shyness. Other than that I enjoyed these two. But I could have enjoyed it so much more. Especially because I love Fiske.

And now the last potential part of the story that couldn‘t be wholly developed due to the fast pace: the Herja. Who are they? What are they? We know we hate them. We want them dead. They are bad. But we do not know more.

And the battle against them was over. In a blink. In a second. 20 pages. That‘s it. No more drama.

ANYWAYS! I feel like the pace problem is the only problem I can find. Of course that results in some difficulties for other aspects but overall I did enjoy the story, did not want to put it down and be it predictable, I wanted to keep reading, and reading, and reading.

I think it‘s hard to write a Fantasy story in one book. And Adrienne Young did a great job doing so. If this storyline was turned into a series (a trilogy or duology even!), the problems would have been solved quickly because the pace wouldn‘t take on that speed it did.

Otherwise I can only tell everyone to go grab this book if they want a quick, enjoyable read full with amazing characters, emotions, and wintery vikings-elements to it.

3.75 stars (yes I can‘t decide between 3 and 4 stars!)

What a ride this has been! Never have I imagined that I would be so devasted by this story when I first picked it up. After I did crave in and picked up this series, I did enjoyed the first book a lot, I completely loved the second, but the last installement left me craving for more.

We know what happens at the end of The Vanishing Throne; Aileana takes one last chance to come back to the world and try for the last time to save it - to save them all. The sequel already has given us a glance to faerie folklore, to the history and curse of the Seelie and Unseelie courts, and I must admit I loved the take it had on this. Now it's about fighting it all: the end of the world, the loss of her loved one, the curse who started it all thousands of years ago.

As the previous books, this one is a fast-paced story that includes all you need: fighting, magical elements, sadness, morally questions, romance, and the uncertainity if all can be saved.

I must admit I admire how well done everything is composed in this trilogy. Fast-paced books usually tend to be lacking of some things, and even though I would have enjoyed this series to be longer, so I can have more time with my characters, I feel the pace suited the plot very well. It's a series you could read in one go during a couple days off. One that makes you leave reality, travel to a place that sounds familiar, and then does not really, and forget about anything else. I had to tell myself to put this book aside to catch some sleep. I was constantly reading it, not necessarily because I couldn't put it aside, but because I didn't want to.

I loved the characters a lot; some of them from the very beginning, some of them grew on me during the course of the sequels. One especially has grew very fast on my heart in this book. Aileana is a character you can not dislike. She might have her flaws, but it's nothing that makes her less of a person and great protagonist. I even think it's good that we get to see those flaws of herself, because it makes it so clear that she is human, and being dragged into all of this, but that she chose to be the one who was. And Kieran... I really came to love him a lot. While I already did love his character in the first book, I completely fell for him in the sequel; but in this one, he just became another child of my harem which I wish to protect with everything I got. Speaking of protecting... Derrick. Derrick has been my favorite since The Falconer, and I have loved him ever since I met him.

Spoiler

And his death has destroyed me. I was believing he would come back. I was sure that Kieran would be saved by Sorcha, but Derrick... I kept rereading that last paragraph of the book. Tears rolling down my cheeks. Don't cry. You're my favorite, he said. But I did cry, because he was mine and I'm still not okay with that.

And Sorcha. Oh Sorcha. There is a lot to say about her, but what I loved most was the development she endured. No I'm not speaking the kind "she-redeemed-herself"-development; this was so much more than that, and so much better.

The only thing that makes this final installement more of a 4.5 than a full 5 stars read is that I just enjoyed The Vanishing Throne more, and I can't place what it was. I can't tell. There were some things that felt lacking for me, but don't tell me to explain what things those are, because I still haven't been able to tell.

Spoiler

But honestly, it could also be my denial arse not being able to give this a full five star, because my favorite pixie ever Derrick died.

That's it, guys. READ IT! I am so glad I stumbled upon this series (which means my dearest friend telling me non-stop to read it!) because it has been added to my favorites-list.

Definitely an ending worth its story; filled with amazing characters, great folklore elements, a mix of historical and fantasy setting, an unique magic system that comes with its own history and a range of all feelings you can have, I can only recommend this book (or this series) to anyone out there. Due to it being a fast-paced story with great dialogue including sarcasm, an amazing storyline, shocking plot twists and its special turns of fantasy tropes, it's a series you can reread whenever you feel like escaping the world, and returning to one that will make you forget anything else. I sure will.

Don't read this review if you haven't read the first book!

After finishing 'Odinskind' (Odinsbarn/ Odin's Child) I already had few theories on how this story would continue and was thrilled when I thought one of them being correct when I discovered the map of Europe inside the book. However, Siri Pettersen seems to love suprising us, and it was nothing that I have expected.

I don't know how much I can tell without giving away too many spoilers, because this book shined through its way revealing one thing after another, making us drop our jaws because we did not see it coming. This happens so rarely to me, you must know. Mostly, I try not to think too much about a story, not to make up too many theories, because they end up being true and thus taking away any suprising effect on me. Not with 'The Riot' though. Every thing I assumed while reading has proved itself wrong when a twist - which was clearly better than whatever I made up - got revealed.

We follow both, Hirka and Rime, through their journey. Each one of them is in a different place, fighting their own battle. Rime remained in Ymsland, trying to understand their history and secrets. Hirka, on the other hand, is with the humans; desperately trying to fit in, only to figure she is being hunted again.

The story has a slower pace compared to the first book which made it sometimes hard to really follow through. At the same time, this book has managed to emphasize how long and dragging the story actually is for both our protagonist. It definitely helps its cause - to show us more of the worlds Siri Pettersen has created, and how they're interwined with each other. And of course, why Hirka grew up in Ymland in the first place. This makes me - yet again - ask myself so many questions that I'm impatiently wating for the last book to be published in Germany, so I can finish Hirka's story. Because even if we got so many answers, many more questions have appeared and when I was finishing this book, I knew that I might be confronted with the worst answers soon.

I can only recommend for everyone to read this book, or series. I love the worldbuilding, the way plot twists are revealed, how one thing doesn't mean what we believe it does, or how it leads to another thing while at the same time it does not. This story has a great way of telling, a set of characters that are unique, and it shines most because of its complex and rich worldbuilding.

I think there is not much to say except that I was waiting for this to be published, and as soon as it was I hated myself again for my impatience since I devoured it right away.

I was thrilled to read from Kenji's POV and I think I must not explain myself to why that is. Kenji has always been a character that deserved more spotlight, and he already got lots. I was so happy to see how his life takes a new path in Restore Me, so I definitely squealed from excitement to be know if more happens to it.

What took me by suprise is that the story we read about is not taking place between the events of Restore Me and Defy Me. If you have read the novellas, you'd know that they perfectly function as a bridge between the single installements. Not this one, it rather takes place during a certain time in Restore Me. We get to see many scenes we already know (and have probably screamed or wept at) in this book, only told by Kenji instead of Warner and Juliette. This has definitely caused me to decrease my excitement by a little.

However, I still enjoyed this novella. I mean, I enjoyed every single Shatter Me-related page out there (or have felt all the feels about it). I just love Tahereh Mafi's way of writing, I love the characters, and I will cherish this series forever. So of course, I enjoyed this one as well. I wouldn't have expected anything less.

But... it made me even more impatient for Defy Me. Tahereh, you already pulled that ending to make me suffer until the release day of Defy Me. And now you do it AGAIN????

Guys. I am not ready for the next book.

After the painful ending of Restore Me, the painful reminder of Shadow Me, I didn't know whether I was really ready for this book, or if it was my unconditional love for the characters that made me start it the moment e-books could be downloaded, because I clearly couldn't wait for my physical copy to arrive. Whatever the reason for my impatience was I started reading this, and hated myself yet again for being so eager to feel the pain all over again. Page after page, chapter after chapter, it was anxiety that lead me through the story. What will happen to Juliette? Can I still call her that? What is with Warner? Where is he? What is Kenji going to do? What about Sector 45? Questions. So many questions, and I got slapped hard, with the answers I was not anticipating.

We already discover some truths about Juliette's past in the end of Restore Me, and it left me shocked, and unready for more. But Defy Me doesn't take care of my weak heart, and ignites one bomb of truth after another. We find out a lot about Juliette's past, and especially how exactly it is connected to Warner's. We find out about The Reestablishment's plans. We find out about all the children from the supreme courts. We. Find. Out. A. LOT!

I really don't want to let myself tell to much about this book, other than it made me suffer, and made up for it. Really made up for it. In a good way.

I don't know what it is about these books. The first three books were an all-time favorite of mine for years, reading book 4 and 5 makes me love all about this story, these characters, the writing even more. I think I will never be able to let go of this series. Never.

And to be honest, I've spent my days after finishing this in my Warner-hole. Yup. In case you need further explanation. I fell down a hole, into Warner-Wonderland, and now my mind is all occupied by him. Warner. Warner. Warnerwarnerwarnerwarnerwarner. It's book five, and I'm still hopelessly in love with him.