3.5 stars

This books was just entertaining enough to keep going. Felt far to drawn out tho. The payoff in the end was not overly satisfying though and I had hoped for more behind Tigress and Snow’s fall out as well.

I think this book is beautifully written, but the story itself is really not that amazing or creative, there was no surprise for me in the end, or anywhere else in the book. But I loved how it was told, so it has 3 stars from me.

I really enjoyed seeing the profession of the kids and their own independent voices with how this was written!

2.5

I didn’t hate this book… but I didn’t like it? I’m not sure the framing of an abusive relationship by giving him a valid reason for his anger is a good way to write an abusive character. I understand trying to give us sympathy for Ryle to complicate the issue of abuse and make us understand why women stay… but I think it would’ve been a stronger book if he simply was that way because he was, not because of past trauma. The idea that he “blacks out” when he’s mad and cannot think straight simply doesn’t bode well for him as a father either.

I see what Hoover was going for, it was a decent enough book to keep reading. The ending WAS good, but I guess I feel a little icky after reading it because I know that’s not how a real relationship works.

2.5 stars

I had high hopes for this as I truly enjoyed the original trilogy. And in particular, I loved its ending, it was quite possibly the smoothest most satisfying ending for any series I’ve read, so quite honestly I was nervous to pick up this book. But I did, in hopes it would be new characters in the same world. It is not. And it has simply ruined the love I had for some of the characters and their endings.

For the first time, I hate Darrow. The only reason this book was interesting enough to keep going was the new characters Ephrium and Lyria, and Lysander with Cassius. I found myself dreading the chapters from Darrow’s perspective. But ephriam and Lyria’s story, and bringing up just reasons for hating the republic felt valuable to the world that Brown has built, it felt necessary to ensuring that things don’t just get fixed in a day, or a year, or even in ten. Their storylines were valuable and I truly did like those portions. Lysander and Cassius’s storyline was interesting because we were left in this illusion in the original trilogy that Darrow’s decision to bomb the docks meant he knew someday they would go to war with the rim, it would just delay the inevitable. For this to be revisited is interesting, but frustrating… Lysander is an okay character who I did not hate, but did not love. And who’s complicated feelings on superiority, power, and equality, were imo more akin to how real people think. In that way, it was engaging. However the rest of the plot with Lysander frustrates me.

It seems so unfitting that Cassius dies in this book, he really was the only og character I contained a hope of survival for, him and Sevro. Everyone else from the original trilogy could die and I would not care based off of this new installment…

One last thought on this all: while every character is complex and I either liked or disliked them in this book, there is one character I truly LOVED. And that is Volga. Truly she deserved so much better. And as I approach the next book I hope that she has a happy ending.

This book was hard to get through because it is just SAD. Victra, Ephraim, Lyria, Volga, and the Obsidian storyline are just so damn hard. They are good, do not get me wrong, just sad. I wish for the love of god something could go right for Victra, Lyria and Volga and I hope the next installation leaves them with their revenge and to finally know peace.

I liked having a POV from Virginia, her storyline was just eh but her perspective was cool to get. Darrow’s story in this book, just like in the last one, bored me, and I did not care what happened to him… until Cassius came back. All I hope for in the last book is Cassius and Darrow delivering the final blow to the society and Lysander.

I want to hate Lysander, but I don’t. I still don’t like him particularly either. His “morality” or virtues or whatever tf it is that drives him makes no sense to me… I HATE that Brown has made him into a “man” and excused the grooming from the Grimace family. He is still essentially a child, just like Darrow was in the beginning.

I also hate the Red Hand and what it turned into. Harmony turning into what she did didn’t sit well with me or seem accurate to what she did in the first three books. I’m glad she is dead and I hope that storyline is done. Focusing for so long on child brides and rape was so hard and served little purpose to this story.

Ultimately, I will finish this series. I think the original three were fantastic. But I question Brown as an author and a person. The mention and use of sexual assault and rape is so rampant in these books when it is unnecessary, it is rather troubling.

I liked it… I didn’t think it was insanely difficult to figure out it was the doctor though, especially considering some of how the book was written.