This book was everything that I wanted in a follow up to the phenomenal book, Flame And Sparrow. The sheer amount of storylines and conflict that Gaither set up and ultimately resolved was truly impressive. The characters themselves also continue to be a strong selling point for Gaither’s writing. The found family amongst Dravyn, Valas, Mairu, and Karys was truly something special. They had an innate ability to understand what someone in their group needed. Also, I can’t forget about Moth – he continues to be an absolute delight, and I would love to take him home and snuggle him. I really appreciated that Gaither continued to grow the relationship between Dravyn and Karys. While they clearly care for one another, they continued to experience challenges while learning to trust and share their struggles. I also love that we got to see more of Gaither’s world building skills. The writing is so vivid you can clearly picture the scenes the characters are experiencing. I also felt that the plot was well paced and well balanced between more of internal/emotional struggles vs the action-packed battles. There were also plenty of heart wrenching betrayals and plot twists to keep you guessing. I was fascinated by how the final battle played out and where all of the characters ended up following their journey. Overall, I loved this book and duology as whole. I can’t recommend Gaither’s writing enough.

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eARC courtesy of the author