Did I finish this book or did it finish me?

Hands down my favorite of the Empyrean series so far! The character development between Iron Flame and this one is astronomical. I love badass, confident Violet, Xaden “Sorrengail with two R’s” Riorson, fucking RIDOC in this book! I really felt like I got to know the characters on a deeper level, and it was really cool to watch everyone play their vital role in the story.

I simply just had the best time (even when I was sobbing) and can’t wait for the next instalment!

I enjoyed this one a lot! It has a much more serious undertone than my typical romance read, but I loved slowly unraveling who Rue and Eli were. Also Eli was such a simp and I love that for him.

While this definitely wasn’t as cozy and feel-good as the first, it was still so beautiful for so many other reasons. With a very clear parallel to real-world politics, this one hit close to home in a very powerful (and sometimes uncomfortable) way.

I loved seeing Arthur and Linus in love - they are so kind and tender with one another, while not being afraid to challenge the other. Their love and admiration for their children is so clear, and I love the safe and exploratory environment they create for their family! 

The addition of David was so wonderful, and it was so incredible to see the children band together to uplift one another and make David feel welcome. I can’t believe I put off reading this book for as long as I did, it was just so wonderful!

Re-read via audiobook: I honestly enjoyed this so much more the second time around! Yes, Violet was frustrating at points and the miscommunication was a lil much, but I was able to focus on more small details and get the full impact of a lot of things that I missed in my first read!

I had so much fun with this! It was my first full Ali Hazelwood novel, and I understand the love for her writing!  It was engaging and funny and I loved the element of secret pen pal vibes!

Thank you to NetGalley and the Penguin Teen Canada for the advance copy of this book!

This book simultaneously broke and healed my heart and I loved every minute of it! While it starts out very lighthearted, it quickly goes much deeper and there are so many beautiful moments. I really really loved the complex way these characters were written, and the way that Riley realizes there is so much more to everyone than what she sees on the surface. The focus on female friendship and solidarity is SO amazing and well written.

There are heavy themes of catholic guilt and the way it can hold on for far longer than you expect, while also showing a more positive side of religion as well. It felt like a very raw portrayal of what being a queer teenager in a strict religious community can be. 

This book was sweet and tender, real and raw, and I absolutely could not put it down! It sucked me in from the first chapter title and it is one that I will think about often. I only wish my teenage self could read it!  

Such a fun read! I loved the show on Prime and had to read the book, and I was not disappointed! This book is just so witty and fun, Jane is such a fierce FMC but I love seeing her soften to G as the story progresses. 

While this is definitely more in the young adult genre than the show, it held its own as a fantastic story of political intrigue and quippy humor! The audiobook narrator was also fantastic and truly made the book so much more enjoyable!

As someone who typically struggles with first person, multi-POV stories (especially when centered heavily around politics) I was a little apprehensive coming into this book. My expectations were absolutely blown away though once I got into it! Niamh has done such a great job of introducing multiple characters in a digestible way that really pulls you in and gets you invested right off the bat! 

All of our characters were flawed and operating on their own agenda, and it was really hard to know who to trust or what was going to happen. While I never thought that the pacing was slow, it definitely picked up near the end and I didn’t want to put it down! Knowing that this is the first book in a series also helped temper my expectations for a clear resolution at the end, but you should definitely expect a cliffhanger that leaves you gasping!

The dynamics between all the different characters was so interesting and fun to read, but Nathon and Hestan are everything to me! There were so many oddly tender moments between them, and I’m so excited to see where the story will take the two of them. The slow burn tension is so well done, but when I say slow burn I MEAN it! 😮‍💨

I also have to shoutout the queer and disability rep in this book! Niamh did such a great job creating a queer normative world, and I loved the way she addressed disabilities and various mental health struggles (specifically PTSD) throughout the book.

I’d highly recommend this book for anyone who likes political intrigue, slow burn romance, and morally grey characters who you never know if you can trust!

A short n sweet story with incredible fairytale vibes! Shorter novellas like this always feel fast paced, but this never felt rushed! I loved learning more about Toadling and her life, as well as her opening up to Haleem. A super enjoyable read that I’d recommend for anyone who enjoys darker fairytales!