11/21/2021 ★★★★★

11/01/2024  ★★★★☆

I’ll start by saying this: I love Auren. I do. But. Buuuuut.

Here's the thing. She started getting this backbone, and I was super excited to see where she was going to go with it. And you know where we went with it? Nowhere. For this entire freaking book. Around and around in circles with Midas having the same conversations and the same arguments and the same glaring fights. It got old for me. I really needed to see more movement in the plot earlier on than when it finally did happen.

BUT. I love Auren’s backstory. Those chapters were some of the best, heartbreaking? Absolutely. But there was so much feeling to them that they really hit the hardest. (And they weren’t just fluff and filler). That twist with Midas?! Man. I knew he had secrets and he was a huge DB but, still!

I also love seeing her interact with her friends from fourth. This found family thing that's going on is absolutely to die for. 

And Malina. I had such high hopes for her. The tension just went up in each one of her chapters and I’m just over here holding out hope that she somehow connived her way out of that situation and is going to shock and awe later on. 

Now, the same issues that I’ve had since book one persist. Everyone is so over the top and melodramatic and it feels excessive. I have a hard time really caring about a lot of the side characters (read: saddles) because of this. Everyone just needs to tone it down just a little. Hate her, but man. Hate her less excessively. Its too darn much. 

My biggest issue with this installment was the big ol lull in the middle there, where I needed something more to happen and maybe I wasn't *all the way bored* but… I was pushing that line. 

The end though, the end saves it. I love the constant conniving going on with the rulers of these kingdoms, it makes my twisted heart beat faster.