Not horrible. Really a 2.5. I’m a sucker for retelling a and always been fascinated by Henry VIII and the women who fell under the spell of the Tudor. I think this book had a lot of potential and it was definitely a quick read. I finished it in a couple of hours. I’m not sure if Henry was supposed to be likable, I’m not even sure if Anne was supposed to be likable. While on one hand this book captured the whirlwind that was Henry and Anne, it also was the epitome of the manic pixie dream girl trope. It was a superficial retelling, meaning it didn’t dig deep, didn’t really give the characters any depth and what you saw was literally what you got. While that makes for a quick read, it doesn’t really make for a completely memorable reading experience. I think I would’ve enjoyed it more if it wasn’t so surface level.

I received a free advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I had no idea this was a book of poetry when I first requested it on Netgalley, I just knew I loved mythology and the cover was gorgeous. I connected with so many things said in this book. It was like reading someone’s personal journal as they move through healing from their trauma, whether inflicted by themselves or others. The truth is we as women endure so much pain and hurt, judgment and accusations from the hands of society, those close to us and from ourselves. We are enough is the message in this poetry, no matter your trauma, family history or romantic relationship history. I just....I loved this so much.

Trigger warnings: mention of rape, abuse, homophobia and negative body image

A great journey and sequel to Mariko’s story. I loved seeing Mariko and Okami again, as well as some of the other characters. Even though it was confusing at first, I think it was such a good idea to have so many characters, new and old, having their own POVs and hand in telling the story. Even though I loved getting a solidified overall ending, the last 1/3 of the books seemed to happen so fast. It sort of felt like tying up the major stories to get them done and over with. Loved seeing it, but with such time and detail put into the rest of the story and other characters, it just seemed a little odd. This is partly because we get so many unanswered plot holes. What about Kenshin? Does he realize what’s happened to him? What is Yumi’s role now? Is no one going to question where the creatures came from? What of Mariko’s parents? And what about Tsuneoki?? Does he just get left in the dust?!

I really wish I had the answers to these questions (and more that I’ll post in my extended blog review) but overall, a great read.

I really thought y’all over hyped this book. I really did. i stand corrected. THIS is the type of N(ew) A(dult) content I’ve been looking for and I loved it so much. A sexy, relevant, page turner with slight smut tendencies but an actual plot that hits you right in the feels. Just...someone come check on my later because I’m sure I’ll still be on the floor.

I’d almost forgotten how much I loved this series and this book. Such a great addition to the Vampire Academy series and one of my favorite.