I did not expect to actually, genuinely enjoy this book. I’ve read a lot of these because they’re weirdly addicting and entertaining. However, this one was kind of also a good story. 

The main character, Lila, is deaf. Waking up on an alien planet full of many different threats means she has to adapt her other senses to survive. EDIT: I had the privilege of communicating with a deaf sensitivity reader who advised that Lila is not an accurate or reliable deaf character and she would not consider her to be a good deaf rep mc. 

In the beginning Lila is shy and scared of everything. This is not unreasonable. It feels like a normal reaction to me but also stems from her past on Earth and how isolated she was growing up. Throughout the story, her character develops a lot of confidence. 

I also loved her and Rokan. Rokan was a favorite alien of mine. He was so gentle and kind and patient (a trait most of them lack). I loved how he so desperately wanted to learn “hand speak” for Lila and always talked about how perfect she was. His sixth sense, “knowing” was he called it, was also a cool tidbit. 

Overall probably my favorite, followed closely by Kira’s book. 

I started this to try and squeeze one more book into July and failed. How we now I think I’m on my to another weirdly obsessive streak of these books. 

This one was not one of my favorites. I skipped a few between book 3 and this one but oh well. I still like Kira’s story the best. 

I liked a grumpy male lead. However Josie realllly irked me in the beginning. She was so mean and so cruel, literally wishing him dead. And for what? Because he’s broody and protective she thought he “hated” her? I get they got some trauma but I didn’t like her at first. Almost stopped reading it bc of that. 

Anywho, once they caved to their feelings it worked out and I liked it better. 

I liked finding the crashed ship and new girls! 

I think this book was very interesting for a fantasy-romance. It had a classic feel to it that makes it a consumable but it also felt original too. 

This book follows Tisaanah, a slave girl, on her journey to freedom and freeing those she loved and left behind. In order to do so she travels to a distant land to join an scientific, magical, organization called The Orders. They are supposed to provide balance to the magic of the land, remain unbiased and unpolitical, and protect the people above all. Of course, like most organizations of such power they are not all that they seem. 

I really liked Tisaanah. She was such a cool character. She was elegant, but feral and driven and passionate at the same time. 

I actually loved Max so much. He was a breath of fresh air as a fantasy love interest. He was an enigma for sure. He was broody, but not your classic dark and broody, morally grey love interest. I’m fact, Max is awkward, prides himself on being morally superior to others, kind, compassionate. Ugh he’s just a mush honestly. He’s a broken, damaged, powerful mush! 

This is so torturously slow burn. It’s kind of a mentor, friends to lovers vibe. That I consumed and rooted for. They are so precious and perfect for each other. 

Now the second act of this plot, Tasaanah is imbibed with an ancient sentient magic that is vicious and possessive. It’s a very dark, interesting aspect of this story. It almost feels like a symbiotic yet parasitic relationship. At the very end something happens that I think changes the relationship between the two and I’m very interested in how that will be revealed in book two. 

Finally. There were many complicated relationships and characters in this book. Too many to get into individually. I will mention Nura, can’t decide whether I hate her or respect her. 

I hate Zeryth though. I hope that man dies an awful, brutal, bloody death at the hands of Max and Tasaanah. The “weapons” he’s so eager and stupid enough to think he can control. 

I will note that the magic in this world was very complicated and a bit confusing. Because of that I wouldn’t recommend for first time fantasy readers. 

I could not pick this, try to be different, give 4 stars on menial complaints and yet I would just be lying to myself that I didn’t fucking love this book like everyone else. 

Fourth Wing is so good. The idea is good, the plot is good, the dragons are awesome, the romance is amazing. But I think the  reason I loved this book is  because of Violet herself. 

As a first person narrator the pressure is high to be enjoyable. But I loved her so much. She was strong, persevering, kind, intelligent, sassy and funny and just straight up BAD ASS like what else could I possible want from her? She was aware of her weaknesses in a way that made her so powerful. 

She is forced into the Rider Quadrant after training to be a Scribe her whole life. Despite having a body that’s prone to injury, she is indestructible. And she fucking takes the bull by the horns and runs. She crushes it every step of the way, working with her body and mind to overcome the trials and tests she faces as a cadet and then as a rider. 

I really liked how naturally, history and facts about the world were given to the reader because of the way Violet spewed facts when she was nervous. It worked really well. 

Xaden was sexy from the first page he was on. And even though this might try to be enemies to lovers more of a Romeo and Juliette. Violet and Xaden’s parents may hav even enemies but they never really were. This man crumbled for her and I’m just as obsessed with him as he is with her. Xaden looks at Violet and all he sees is her strength, her courage, and how fucking hot she is. Is he wrong? 

The dragons. The DRAGONS. Please I need more dragons. I love them so much and the bond between the rider and dragon is so fucking beautiful. I can’t wait to see more of this grow in other books. Tairn is such a great character, giving badass and grumpy old man all at once . Goldie is just the fucking cutest with her lil paws. 

Now, bare with me. Dain. This fucking prick. I’ve never met a bigger ick, a bigger dick, a bigger piece of cowardly SHIT. I literally cannot talk enough trash about this man. If he gets a redemption arc it should be death. 

Liam. My baby. I’m so sorry. Have my heart. 

This book was definitely a set up for the world and magic system. I will say the writing was a little confusing at times. I wasn’t really sure how we moved from one scene to the next. The battle scenes and descriptions of the land layout were also a bit hard to follow at times. But overall, I fucking loved this book and will be at a loss until November comes around! 

I am obsessed!! 

Am I being too generous with 4.25? Maybe but honestly I fucking loved this book! 

There is something and slow burn sequels that are full of political intrigue, healing and smut that literally have me on my knees every time. ACOMAF, Traitor Queen, Vow of Thieves, and now THIS?! THIS!!! 

This book follows Lor after she’s been rescued (kidnapped) from the Sun King by the Aurora Prince Nadir. I did not want this book to end. 

I loved the trial, high stakes, action packed setting for the first book. We saw Lor’s scrappy, resilient side in that book. I’m this book we saw her HEART. We got to see her with her siblings, with people she cares about. We got to see her elegant, but feisty queen side come out. It was really great and I care so much more about her as a character than I did in the first book. 

 I also love her relationship with Nadir. I was afraid that I wouldn’t buy their attraction and relationship but honestly they spend every day together in this book. Despite the enemies to lovers side of things they get to know each other so deeply it’s UGH I LOVE IT. 

The dual timeline, flashbacks to Serce and Wolf had be aching with sadness. Knowing what their end was made it so hard to hear their beginning. I’m dying to what went wrong with their bonding. 

I’m am completely and utterly spent by the slow burn of this book I can’t wait to get my hands on the next one because I need to know what happens. I need need Lor to unlock her powers, I NEED them to finally get together. I need her to admit she loves Nadir so bad. He’s basically there fucking worshiping her already. 

How can I wait for book 3?!

Okay wow wow wow

I really enjoyed this book! After I read the blurb I immediately thought it was giving The Hunger Games mixed with The Selection Vibes and that is exactly what I got! 

Lor is a prisoner of the Aurora Court who is taken and entered into the Sun Queen Trials of the Sun Court. She has to compete and complete a series of 4 deadly trials in order to have a chance at becoming the Sun Queen.

Lor is driven by a desire to free her siblings and for the power to exact her revenge on the the Aurora King who took everything from her. Not only are these challenges life threatening but the people who surround her may be just as deadly. 

The Sun King, Atlas, is a very interesting character. He’s handsome and charming and completely smitten with Lor for a reason that no one can possibly understand. Their attraction is intense and passionate. 

Lor is a character I generally liked. She’s sassy and driven. She’s been through shit and it shows in her scrappiness and tenacity. There were a few times where I thought she was a bit dense but honestly I think she was more so playing the game of the trials than anything else. She has a secret that no one is supposed to know so I understand why she thinks it would be impossible that the Sun King would know. 

I will say I was hoping for more of a connection between her and Gabriel and Halo and Marci. I felt the friendships she made to be lacking a bit. 

Gabriel really made me angry. But I think his character may have redeemed himself. It was very Tamlin Lucien vibes but WORSE. 

I will say that Nadir’s pov really didn’t do much for me. I think this whole book could have Lor’s POV and if we just met him at the ball that would have been fine and much less distracting. I honestly think including his pov in this book was a major spoiler in itself. Imagine if we had Rhy’s pov in ACOTAR. That plot twist would not pack the same punch.

Overall, while I did think this book was a bit predictable, I still had loads of fun and I’m already preparing to download the second! 

I’m so tired I should review tomorrow. But initially, I did enjoy it a lot! 

This book was a 50/50 for me. 

The first half of the book was pretty slow, a little awkward for everyone. No literally the main character Cassie said how awkward every conversation with Aiden was in the beginning. I honestly almost DNFed because it was so slow and just wasn’t buying that they had any connection at all. 

What kept me going was Sophie, Aiden’s daughter, and Wanda, Cassie’s best friends/motherly figure. Those relationships were sweet and funny. 

HOWEVER. Once Aiden and Cassie confessed their feelings and finally started hooking up the book did a complete 180. The dialogue got better, the romance got better, there was more development. Overall the smut made everything else better too XD

Speaking of smut… damn this book was steamy! Very hot, very fun. 

The third act breakup was little dumb, but honestly Aiden was such a sweetheart and Sophie was so sweet I just honestly enjoyed myself by the end of it all. 

I flew through this book in about 24 hours and I’m looking forward to Lana’s next books which is a contemporary fantasy romance! 

I am shaking and I want to write a comprehensive review for this because I have SOOOO many thoughts. 

But my initial thoughts are WTF and WHY DID I NOT BEING THE SECOND BOOK WITH ME THIS WEEKEND?! I’m furious but also obsessed! 

——————

Let me start off my saying that this book has everything I want in a book. It’s almost perfect for me and I hope that this review can reach a few people who will feel the same. 

The Serpent & The Wings of Night follows Oraya, the adopted human daughter of Vincent, the Nightborn Vampire King. Oraya has lived her whole life in fear and training to enter the Kejari, a competition where contestants fight to the death to win a wish from the goddess of death, Nyaxia. 

I really liked Oraya. I felt for her. She is constantly struggling with her own identity as she can’t seem to find a balance between her vampire upbringing and human body. She sees vampires as cold monsters and humans as weak and helpless. She feels she needs to change who she is in order to become worth something. 

This is of course all fed by her complex relationship with Vincent, her father figure. 

I went into this book without any idea what to expect. I felt her relationship with Vincent was so well done. His father side juxtaposed against his king side.  He loved Oraya and yet he was one of the cruelest, vicious characters. Ugh, I just love such complex characters like him.  I really felt for Oraya as the book progressed and she struggled with her emotions for him. 

Then, of course we have Raihn. Raihn is a Nightborn Vampire, but from the opposite clan of Oraya’s father and so technically he’s her enemy. The two of them team up for the competition and oh my do things go exactly as I hoped they would. This is definitely a slow burn but it’s so worth the wait! Raihn is everything I love in a male lead *heart eyes* 

The ending. Im not going to lie, I wasn’t shocked by the plot-twists at the end. If you read a lot of fantasy romance it was pretty classic. However, I was still NOT PREPARED. I was reeling! So proud of Oraya and yet so devastated for her! This is spoiler free but I will say that I that there was one thing that happened at the very end I was not happy with. 

Overall, this is now one of my favorite fantasy-romance reads. There were definitely some flaws but I just enjoyed it so much I don’t care! If want high stakes, badass female lead, and a steamy slow burn romance this book is definitely for you!