mayastef's reviews
175 reviews

Thank god for this book, I needed a stand-alone fantasy that made me excited to read again. I loved the characters and the complicated relationships they had with each other. I also loved that every mystery proposed in the plot got answered at some point and didn't just leave the reader hanging wishing for answers. Such a breath of fresh air after reading too many long fantasy series with too many twists and turns. This was the goldilocks amount of twists and turns, just enough to be engaging but not so much to be stressful and confusing.  

I'm in a reading slump, and this book is just failing to draw me in. Maybe I'd try again but I think theres other stuff out there Id rather spend my time reading. 

It is hard to review this book without spoiling anything. Overall, it was a satisfying reading experience. I wish that I could read about more characters' stories. It seemed like a lot of super important events experienced by the side characters weren't fully fleshed out and thats somewhat frustrating to me but I do understand that the book is already 800 pages long. Okay so my next thought is not actually a spoiler but some people might assume it is based on their expectations of the book so I'm going to spoiler tag it.

The main thing that this book made me feel was some sort of homesickness for the Throne of Glass series.

This book made me appreciate House of Earth and Blood more and like House of Sky and Breath less. 

Conceptually this book seemed cool but I found myself forcing my way through not enjoying the experience. I don't know exactly where this book was going and I dont think Holly Black really knew where this book was going. It made enough sense that it didn't have plot holes but it did not make enough sense that I can accurately figure out exactly the whole shadow magic system.

Wanted to read a childhood favorite again but it just didn’t hook me in. Will definitely return to this series someday 

I'm frustrated with this book but not frustrated enough not to recommend the series or regret reading it. I just had so many questions at the end, and upon googling, I saw that other readers had the same frustrations and questions, so it wasn't just me problem. I am not upset with how the book ends, but I think an extra 50 pages would've done everyone well because the author could have expanded on some more things throughout the book.

It did well for a middle book in a trilogy. It was definitely an information overload at times just trying to puzzle everything together and try to guess where things were going. I read it in two sittings I love the pace of this book and even though its a middle book the overall quest of the series doesn't feel too drawn out. Very vague spoiler ahead

This is because the goalposts eventually shift so the task changes as they complete parts of it.

. It is very rewarding as pieces of the puzzle come together and you start having 'oh my god', 'no way', and 'I fucking KNEW it' moments. 

She has done it again folks, another certified banger. Ashley Poston does a miraculous job writing about grief and finding love after loss and not just in the romantic sense. Her romances always feel so 3-D because they encompass all aspects of the main characters' lives not just the romance. 

I devoured this book, it definitely kept pulling me back to my kindle but the plot and characters didn't seep into my thoughts during everyday life. Reading a lot of fantasy can get tiring but I felt like I had no problems understanding this world (even though I haven't read Caraval). It has a storybook feel to it that makes understanding the magic in the universe much easier as it's so similar to common fairytales I heard growing up. I'm looking for a bit more simplicity in my fantasy worlds these days and this book delivered that without being boring

Not a bad book, just couldn't keep me hooked as my other library holds came in