3.5 Virago Stars ⭐
Spicy Level: 🌶️/5

It's sometimes really difficult to read a book my friends swear by and love. I know I'll feel bad if I don't feel the same way and it makes it super difficult to review the book. BUT I am going to stand true to what I feel and believe irrespective of what my friends feel because I know what works for one person will not always work for another person.

There are a few things that I look for when I am reviewing and book but ultimately I REVIEW FOR ME... My level of enjoyment and what I take out of the book. I'm not going to let other people sway my opinion or influence how I feel about something just because we happen to not align.

Now I'll step off my soap box

𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
I really battled to get into this. It was a struggle. I almost had to force myself to pick it up because there was something in the story that was just not gripping me. It follows a mute girl, Raina, who has this goal to kidnap and kill The Witch Collector; who, eight years ago, stole her sister for The Frost King. Every year a witch with great power is chosen and fetched by The Witch Collector and they are never seen again. Unknown to her there is a war breaking out between kingdoms, with The Prince of the East trying to overthrow the Frost King of the North. Soon a horrific battle occurs on her doorstep and in that battle, our little mute girl doesn't end up killing The Witch Collector; she saves his life. Now the two find themselves on a quest to protect the Frost King and her sister.

𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
One of the biggest problems with this is that despite it being an amazing enemy-to-lovers transition and despite me loving "journey-type" books, the world-building is VERY COMPLICATED and with the introduction and initial explanation of how things worked was VERY convoluted and almost bordering on info-dumpy.

I didn't grasp it right at the beginning. I wasn't sure what was going on; I wasn't sure what was current lore versus old lore and what was just historical fact. Whilst it does get easier to understand the more and more you read, and luckily in the end it makes sense, in the beginning, I felt a little confused and no book should make you hope if I go with the flow it will get better.

I have to give it to Charissa Weaks, the magic system is REALLY cool. I loved how the "Witches" were more traditional sorcerers than what you would call witches, the way each person's magic ability works was unique and refreshing!

I did like Raina. She didn't let her disability stop her, and while she knows she is traditionally disadvantaged compared to the other witches and has constantly been overlooked because she seemingly has "no power". This has been her greatest strength and her greatest weapon because she is invisible, and doesn't have a voice, people don't see the powerhouse and threat she can be and how she is not somebody who can be trifled with. She stands up for what she believes in, she is strong, she is determined and she is a fighter.

The representation and implementation of how her disability was handled were done really well. It was super clear when people were talking, it was clear when people were signing and that aspect of the book did not seem like a struggle to read. It was natural to read which I think is a perfect metaphor for how it should be, no ease at all no matter the differences in communication.

Alexus, my god, jeez, he goes through a lot of shit. The amount of times he nearly dies and is injured or is in pain IS ASTOUNDING. He must have a pain threshold five times the amount of a normal person because he is stabbed multiple times, and while he is healed... he doesn't let the stabbing or any injury inconvenience or dissuade him. It's just ridiculous, this poor man!

The relationship between Alexus and Raina is kind of strange because if you put the exact relationship on a timeline they go from mortal enemies to lovers within 12 days. But in terms of the pacing of the book, everything they go through together and how they slowly connect it's still a "slow burn". There is the right amount of sexual tension and waiting before the real romance happens. I also loved that he was able to communicate with her in Sign and it being one of the main reasons she started to trust him. It was just cute how the two grew a bond of love in the constant dangers they kept being forced into.

𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Forced Proximity
▶ Dual POV
▶ Broody MMC and Badass and Feisty FMC
▶ Enemies to Lovers
▶ Slow Burn
▶ Intricate Magic System
▶ Burn the World for You
▶ Touch Her/Him You Die
▶ Knife to the Throat (FMC to MMC)
▶ Age Gap
▶ Mute/Sign Langauge Representation
▶ One Bed and One Horse

All in all, I'm pretty interested in continuing the story. The ending with the cliffhanger was pretty cool, and it was a very compelling start to a decent fantasy series. As much as I had a few problems with the slow uptake in understanding the world-building, by the end of it I was thoroughly invested.