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!