girls rule boys drool 

the most emotional book i’ve read this year

dark and gruesome yet humorous at times

no notes. if jordan ifueko had a hallow it would be storytelling because she writes GOLD

Overall, the plot and worldbuilding was good, I found it rich and steeped in beautiful descriptions of the different elements and the qi system. However, the writing was a little poor, which left the plot being too rushed towards the end, some parts being a bit repetitive and many of the side characters feeling flat. I personally enjoyed Zetian's growth, her ability to accept other people's view, but also not softening and losing her razor sharp edge and thirst for bloody justice. Hopefully the next book would be a bit better.

this book had me nodding along, smiling, crying and feeling very warm inside 

quiet yet profound confessions on relationships between mother and child, noting times of trauma, love, hatred and loss in tender emotion.

if you want a book that transports you to a strange, whimsical and enchanting world, this is it. laini taylor has a way of capturing the childish wonder of fairy tales and translating it for an older audience, with lovable characters, rich worldbuilding and a plot that sucks you straight into fantastical mysteries. to say i loved this book would be an understatement. 

Reminiscent of Daisy Jones and the Six but with more voices weaving a story of stardom, friendship, loss and anger. The recounts of the 70s were the most rich part of the story; towards the end the book did start to drag but I loved the potency of Black excellence in music and the racial struggles they faced and still face today. 

The final book in a series like the Grishaverse always hurts, but this one hurt more. Maybe because I was saying goodbye to a host of characters, each from their own books that I've read and their lives I've lived. Some have suffered, some have turned out better or worse or both. I'm glad this book allowed me to say farewell to each of them. It was definitely a jam-packed ride filled with tense situations, but they honestly kept me hooked to every page and desperately wanting to know what comes next. All the characters were resolved nicely towards the end, and for sentimental reasons I'm giving this four stars. I know I'll definitely return to the Grishaverse soon.