i ended up really enjoying this book! I really grew attached to the characters, especially our core 5 <3 wow I love their found family so much. I always find it hard to connect or love characters in a first installment of a fantasy series, but ms. olivia crafted such vivid characters that I couldn't help not to love them! there were great sibling relationships, friendships and romantic relationships (!!!) that have me so excited for the next book, especially because that ending was so epic! i'm so intrigued about the main couple because they have really great banter and cayden is just so obsessed with our queen elowen (as he should), and I can't wait to see where their story goes. 

i gotta say though, i was not expecting such gore from a romantasy but wow there was gore. this book does not shy away from descriptive fight scenes so keep that in mind when reading. The plot was slow moving at times, so it lost me there a couple times, but once we reached the climax I could not stop reading!

the only thing that took me out of the story a little was the writing style. I don't know what it was about it but the dragging inner monologue and overly descriptive sentences are not my preferred narrative style. 

overall, this was such a fun epic fantasy romance with DRAGONS (!!) they're basically sky puppies and i love them so much.

Thank you Dell and Netgalley for the ARC, it's out now