A 4.95 in actuality but whatever, I'm scared to jinx it before I finish the last book.

I finished this book in less than a week. What else do you want me to say.

There are faults here, don't get me wrong. Some of the tension in certain scenes dissipated way too quickly for my liking.
 
The Traemantis' characters seemed to stagnate a bit (only saying this because I love Donaia and she wasn't present enough here), but Giuna's plotline picked up by the end and I'm pumped to see where she will go from here now that the external status quo has changed.

Apart from that. Oh boy. This world. The intricacies of the plot. I might not completely understand the magic system, but it is so fun to read about. These books, so far, have been an absolute delight to get through, and no small part of it is the simple yet elegant writing.

And the characters. These people and their interpersonal struggles are as important to the story as the overarching plot is, and I love the balance the authors manage to strike between the two. 

I love the aspect of found family woven into the story, the bond Ren shares with Sedge and Tess is just a breath of fresh air from everything else going on.

And, I don't usually root for straight fantasy romances, but if an outlaw brough you a kitten to guard your dreams, I would fall for him too. The thing about the main couple and their struggles is that it actually ties into the themes of the story, something I haven't seen many fantasy books do with their romantic subplot. It's handled so well. This is what a good fantasy romance should be. 

Now that I can keep track of most characters in the story, the twists and turns hit so much harder. Mythology and history and politics mix together and clash and it gives a very unique flavour to this world.

I'm so glad I decided to read this series in the first place and I'm extremely scared and excited to finish this trilogy. May I see the face and not the mask indeed.

Damn, he really did know how to write.

*Wiping the blood off my nose and staring straight into the camera* This is a love story.

I got the romance I was left wanting for in the previous book. And I got a lot, lot more out of this. I wish I could tell you how much I loved this without going on an incoherent ramble, but damn. 

This book isn't completely HORROR horror, but it's glancing enough with the genre that I will forgive the misclassification. It is horrifying, in part, but really, it's a fucking love story, and a damn good one at that. The longing, the raw and unfiltered want, holy hell. And the horny. The horny was great.

The town itself, the romanticization of the place you can't ever get out of because you were born and bred there, and even if it is the worst place on earth, you love it because it's yours. The possessiveness of it all that I could acutely relate to.

Angelina, the bright, burning, cocky and self-important star of the story. What a woman. Jagvi, her beacon of light and her darkest companion. Patrick, the poor sod caught between these two whirlwinds. These three and their interpersonal relationships made this for me. I love this town; I love these imperfect assholes, these jagged edges of humans. 

I'm so glad I didn't know what I was getting myself into when I started this book. This was everything I wanted in a book, neatly wrapped up in beautiful narration and a genuinely convincing fear at times. Hell isn't as hot as this book. Amen.

Well. Clearly romance isn’t my thing. Or it is, but this book certainly isn’t my thing.

Listen. I like sex. You know what I like more in a romance though? Actual yearning. Which wasn’t in this one. They talk a couple of times, and suddenly the enmity vanishes and they're sooo attracted to each other. The tension between them could have gone on for longer.

The characters were... there. I liked Astrid, to be honest. I just think she got a shit deal with her book. Jordan on the other hand. Oh boy. The less said, the better. 

When your love interest is infuriating enough for you to consider quitting the book, you got a real winner in your hands. Jordan was inconsistent as hell with her motivations for me, which were already paper-thin. She seemed more like an object for the plot to progress through, hit all the beats of a typical rom-com.

Simon was also just there, and I so wish we had actual heart-to-hearts with him and Pru and just overall had gotten to know the Everwoods more. What about the ghost in Lapis room? Just give me something to connect to this, man.

Third act conflict was meh, though I did like where Astrid ended up.

It felt like forced tension a lot of the times, and I only honestly completed this so I could say I completed it. It could have been a fun cheesy romp! Instead I had to grit my teeth at how white-millenial diverse the entire thing was. The threads were there, but unfortunately they couldn't connect for me.

I did not expect to love this as much as I did. Swashbuckling rogues, a Kaz Brekker lookalike with magic, Italy but Oligarchic.

There was so much depth to this story lurking just below the surface but it never felt like we needed to explore it, because the plot itself, while a slow start, is so interesting on its own. I never realised how much fun political fantasy could be.

Was I confused at times because of the million characters? Maybe. The magic system? Girl you tell me I have no clue. But the dance of politics and the inherent appeal of sexuality simmering just out of sight got me.

Ren, Rose, Arenza, Renata,

if you are free on Saturday night when I am also free please let me know. 

Loved the conclusion and I'm so excited to see where this series takes me next.

maybe this isn't for me at all, but wow were the characters paper thin and their motivations no more than a single line of good-bad. the world was so fun, but the lack of depth combined with the an MC who had basically no internal conflict that wasn't solved in like a page or two was... yikes. relationships with other characters was barely present, though i did love the evil spider cult. if i need to read a series without needing my brain in between better books, i'll pick the next one up.

love romance. would love not be devastated by romance one day.