write_of_passages's reviews
572 reviews

 Note: I read this as a buddy read and this is my first time also listening to the audio version versus reading the book, so I'm sure this colored my perception of the story.

It took me a little bit to get into the story (and that may be because I was learning to focus on an audio book!). Dee's voice is noticeable, dynamic, and fun to read. Told in single 1st-person POV, this magical murder mystery doubles as a character study of so many different characters in the midst of a murderer amongst the group killing the twelve characters one by one. I appreciate being able to both unravel the mystery myself as well as having moments that still take me by surprise, and both certainly happened to me here, which is indicative of really good writing! There were definitely moments that had my mouth hanging open in shock throughout the novel, not just during big reveal moments. Although sometimes I felt that the story dragged a little bit in terms of action versus character study, in the end I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I'm so happy I read it.




Knowing what I know now about this book, would I still read it if I went back in time?
Definitely! I own a physical copy of this book, which is very special treatment from me.


 See below for the four criteria I use to decide whether and when to read a book



CHARACTERS: Dee's voice either makes or breaks the story for a lot of readers. For me, I adored him. I adored his snark and his refusal to validate everything considered important by his society; despite this antagonism, he's simultaneously caught in the trauma of constantly being told something horrible about himself from a young age that he couldn't help internalizing it. He's both the class clown and the ordinary everyday hero with a heart of gold that is painfully and beautifully human. There are ways that he reacts in some truly heartbreaking moments that had me rooting for me because he reacts. The internal emotion matches the external action and I don't see that as often in writing as I'd wish. Grasshopper is another highlight of a character and I am utterly in love with their friendship. She's wacky and weird and complements Dee's wild nature so well. As for Wyatt, I couldn't help but fall for him too, and here I will admit that it was surprising to hear how the narrator gave him his voice, which is a very Southwestern American drawl (as best a Brit can do!). It really drove home just how different the provinces are and where the characters hail from.


PLOT: Medium-paced, when a murderer in their midst begins targeting the twelve blessed while they're trapped for twelve days on a ship, Ganymedes teams up with Grasshopper and another boy to uncover the killer before they become victims themselves. I felt that sometimes the pace dragged just a bit, veering into character study over action-oriented in order to push the story forwards. That being said, the mystery itself is fascinating enough that I kept wanting to find out what was happening. The author doesn't pull punches in terms of giving details of blood and victims (be aware if that's not your thing) but I felt it was rather tastefully done and served the plot very well. The reveals are both shocking and, if you're interested in uncovering it yourself, the clues are all there, which is important.




EMOTIONAL INTENSITY: There is no good/bad here. Sometimes I just want a low-investment entertainment read whereas other times a high-stakes 'I need a therapist to recover' is what I need.

3/5: medium. I think Dee's voice in this is helpful for keeping this book in entertaining category whilst giving us some rather deep cuts in terms of the plot and themes.




CATHARTIC FULFILLMENT: Is the emotional journey worth it? Do I finish this book feeling that I've crested the wave of the climactic moment and everything has been settled, leaving me settled and fulfilled? 


95%. The climactic events are truly bombastic and shocking, brilliantly executed, and matched the build up perfectly. As always, I wished for a little bit more of the immediate aftermath, which I felt everything got wrapped up too quickly and neatly, but overall, I finished this story with my eyes wide and just sitting here in shock. I'm so glad I read this one and I'll definitely be reading it again. 

 Note: I started this book without reading the previous series, stopped, read the previous series, and then came back and read this from the beginning. I highly recommend this reading order.


I really enjoyed returning to this world. This book is dual POV with one character we met in the previous series, wolf Eli, who I personally adore, and a newcomer human, Julien. Although I personally found Julien not as compelling as our previous dynamic duo, Cooper and Oliver, he's still dynamic and showcases the author's excellent characterizations. Our whodunit plot takes place in a setting from the previous series and has that same atmospheric quality. Moderately-paced, the relationship scenes are steamy and compelling, the mystery is intriguing and I found myself genuinely rooting for Eli and Julien.


Knowing what I know now about this book, would I still read it if I went back in time?
Yes.


 See below for the four criteria I use to decide whether and when to read a book



CHARACTERS: Eli is one of the best characters to come from the previous series (introduced in Thrown to the Wolves). Provocative, evocative, dynamic and compelling, I adored reading his scenes the most, whether from his POV or when he's interacting with Julien. We see a different side to Eli yet again, where he's hiding not only his past, but also his wolf from "unaware humans." As the new manager to the Retreat for rebel runaway wolves, he's only been in the area for thirteen days before this safe haven is threatened. He's caught for the first time in a place where he doesn't want to run away when running away has been his surviving lifeline up until this point. Enter Julien, an actor who has traveled across the country in search of information about what happened to his monster-hunting brother that resulted in his murder. The two of them choose to work together to uncover the mystery, building a relationship that's built on different levels of trust that I personally found fascinating to read. Subconscious vs. conscious and communicative trust. And, of course, we do get to see Cooper and Oliver again, which made my little heart so happy. I hope we see more of them in the next book.


PLOT: As expected from this author, we have another excellent murder mystery on our hands, though this time with a touch of the mythical conspiracy theory monsters, sabotage, and cold cases. How do they all fit together? What exactly is going on? Who is sabotaging the area and why? Through the plot we see that this is very much a part one to a series, though thankfully it doesn't end on a wild cliffhanger. One part of the plot is unraveled, but with a larger mystery still unsolved. Will Julien discover Eli's secret? If he does, how will it happen? What will their relationship become if the secret is out?




EMOTIONAL INTENSITY: There is no good/bad here. Sometimes I just want a low-investment entertainment read whereas other times a high-stakes 'I need a therapist to recover' is what I need.

2:5/low. Atmospheric and mysterious, this book didn't touch on anything incredibly deep thematically, which left me with mostly an enjoyment factor.



CATHARTIC FULFILLMENT: Is the emotional journey worth it? Do I finish this book feeling that I've crested the wave of the climactic moment and everything has been settled, leaving me settled and fulfilled? 

60%. I did end up hugely disappointed when the author chose not to give us one POV near the end, something I am always so excited for when there is a dual POV (I adore not missing anything). All in all, things are left in a rather nebulous space and very indicative of this being only a first book in a duology. But I do feel we have a rather brilliant set up for the next book which I can't wait to read. 

A super fun young adult contemporary romance with just enough spooky factor and stakes to keep my attention. I adored the paranormal mystery and the characters read very much as teenagers with the self-confidence issues one would expect from coming-of-age youngsters. Paul does a brilliant job of incorporating other characters as well, so we aren't reading a book that involves only the romantic pairing. The supernatural system also straddles the line between fantasy and reality in a way that I truly enjoyed. Although there were moments where tell would have worked versus showing (re: dialogue of introductions and hellos), my overall wish for this story was for more. I kept wanting more and wishing it weren't quite so YA, because the premise and characters are lovely.


Knowing what I know now about this book, would I still read it if I went back in time?
Yes


 See below for the four criteria I use to decide whether and when to read a book



CHARACTERS: Written in dual 1st-person POV, Cameron and Hugo both have very similar voices. However they're both relatable in terms of their thoughts and feelings as teenage boys struggling with identity and social traumas: Hugo from constantly moving and never having a permanent home, to Cameron who has lived in the same place his entire life and the same bullies he's grown up dealing with. He struggles with body image where Hugo struggles with letting people in, both of which feel so sadly valid. They're both instantly likeable and it's easy to follow their story of coming together as friends-to-lovers in the midst of not only these social situations, but a supernatural element that seems to be targeting them specifically.




PLOT: A contemporary romance between two teenagers contending with young love as well as a supernatural element that seems to be targeting the both of them specifically. Medium-paced, the story vacillates between the contemporary: life as students, and the paranormal: spooky happenings occurring in the creepy Crimson House, located across the street from Cameron and Hugo's new home. The spooky elements lend a really fun higher stakes and extra level to this coming-of-age.




EMOTIONAL INTENSITY: There is no good/bad here. Sometimes I just want a low-investment entertainment read whereas other times a high-stakes 'I need a therapist to recover' is what I need.

1:5/low. Very much a YA book, this one stays firmly in the entertaining aspect without delving too deeply into anything overly traumatic.



CATHARTIC FULFILLMENT: Is the emotional journey worth it? Do I finish this book feeling that I've crested the wave of the climactic moment and everything has been settled, leaving me settled and fulfilled? 

75%. I personally felt that the climactic event could have been so much more. The build-up led me to hoping for more, but it does have a HEA, which I appreciated. Again, this was a major spot where I wished it were more than a young adult, as the spooky elements felt pared down to maintain a certain level, therefore not taking advantage of their full potential. That being said, again, this is a young adult, so viewed through that lens it is a lovely ending. I'm very happy I read it. 

 Another really fun episode in this series. Although this book didn't feel like the finale to a series, I still enjoyed it! We have more screentime from a previously-introduced character who is quite fun as well as a really fascinating external conflict that I personally haven't seen much of in my reading travels. Cooper and Park don't have as much character growth in this story, but by this point, I'm quite happy with how far they've come and they're just as wonderful to read here as the previous books. The tension is excellent, however the climactic event doesn't get enough screentime, in my opinion, nor do we have much of a denouement and wrap-up that you'd expect for the final book in a series. (Perhaps I'm wrong and we aren't at the end?)


Knowing what I know now about this book, would I still read it if I went back in time?
Definitely.


 See below for the four criteria I use to decide whether and when to read a book



CHARACTERS: Cooper and Oliver have come so far and you can really see the both of them coming into their own at this point in the series. While we don't see as much character growth in this book, their chemistry and individual personalities are complex, dynamic, and truly entertaining to read. I'm fully invested in their story by this point. The steamy scenes are also always so different, which is fun because we're constantly seeing different sides to them. I'm utterly fascinated by the dichotomy between control and vulnerability (a theme that is again addressed in this book!).



PLOT: The plot had incredible and brilliant potential. We're returned to a thread that hadn't yet been resolved, the conflict itself is mind-blowing, the murder-mystery continues to impress. However the climactic event and end of the book are a bit of a letdown. It occurs far too quickly and feels as though it's resolved too easily (and yet also not completely). That disappointment does bring me down just a little bit, because I was hoping for more more more by the end. That being said, if you've read the previous books and loved the plot, you'll be right at home with this one.




EMOTIONAL INTENSITY: There is no good/bad here. Sometimes I just want a low-investment entertainment read whereas other times a high-stakes 'I need a therapist to recover' is what I need.


3:5/medium. Can't quite pinpoint why, but this book isn't quite as tense. Thoroughly enjoyable though!


CATHARTIC FULFILLMENT: Is the emotional journey worth it? Do I finish this book feeling that I've crested the wave of the climactic moment and everything has been settled, leaving me settled and fulfilled? 


60%. While I didn't finish frustrated, I did finish a little disappointed. I'd hoped for the build-up to be a massive crashing tsunami of a climax and it felt much smaller than that. The ending feels over in moments and there are enough open threads left that I'm not actually sure if this was meant to be the end of the series or just another installment in a larger opus. I wasn't frustrated upon finishing though! This is definitely worth the read.
 

 I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Not only does each book in this series bring up new relationship doubts that Cooper and Oliver need to work through, but we also get more answers to the world rules of werewolves in this series. In this book our dynamic duo end up undercover at a couples retreat in the mountains of North Carolina. Wonderfully atmospheric, the setting is as much a character as the actors on the stage. And, of course, we're in the midst of a whodunit that really showcases Cooper and Oliver's skills. I was incredibly impressed, especially with the climactic event and exactly how our main duo overcame the moment. Wow.



Knowing what I know now about this book, would I still read it if I went back in time?
Absolutely!


 See below for the four criteria I use to decide whether and when to read a book



CHARACTERS: I fell even more in love with Cooper and Oliver, if that's even possible. They're both intensely complex characters and this book is another brilliant addition to uncovering further layers in their characters. They struggle with fears and doubts and pushing against and through them, both together and alone to then come together. They're relationship goals, truly. Their chemistry is utterly magical in an astoundingly realistic way. I adore the way they work together and end up even closer in their relationship throughout the plot.


PLOT: Another murder mystery, of course. This time we're in the mountains of North Carolina trying to uncover what happened to a werewolf who disappeared after contacting the BSI claiming information. The truth that's uncovered here is truly fascinating and also scary on a level. This is in some ways a highly psychological and cerebral thriller, perhaps partly because of the setting. Either way, an evenly-paced thriller with a truly climactic ending!



EMOTIONAL INTENSITY: There is no good/bad here. Sometimes I just want a low-investment entertainment read whereas other times a high-stakes 'I need a therapist to recover' is what I need.

4:5/high. Mostly because of how immersive and realistic the world and characters are. Very atmospheric and the psychological aspects drive this one up a bit.



CATHARTIC FULFILLMENT: Is the emotional journey worth it? Do I finish this book feeling that I've crested the wave of the climactic moment and everything has been settled, leaving me settled and fulfilled? 

95%. Nearly perfect. I would have loved just a little bit more of a denouement, but we switched quite quickly into a cliffhanger that brings back a previous plotline. But otherwise, I was very impressed with the ending! 

Gripping! Even better than book two! This third book felt so much more action-packed (heh. Pack. Pun intended). We also finally get a deeper glimpse into Oliver and his past and it was all so worth it! Not only was this book incredibly immersive, but the interplay of control and vulnerability between Cooper and Oliver is so wonderfully equal. This time we spend the story in Canada with Oliver’s family and finally get to meet them. And the title is quite literal in that way. Once again we have a whodunit and more deeper levels and hurdles for our dynamic duo to jump through together. But if I thought book two brought them together beautifully, book three is almost even better.


Would I go back in time and still read this book, knowing what I know now?
Definitely!



See below for the four criteria I use to decide whether and when to read a book


CHARACTERS: Although we are still in Cooper’s POV, we finally get to focus more on Oliver and who he is beneath the unflappable, gentle man. The glimpse into his past that we get in this book is glorious and made me fall in love with both of them even more. Cooper is the lone wolf (heh) by being the only human surrounded by wolves, this time, a place that Park was in for most of the previous two books. It’s fascinating to see how the wolves react to Cooper and Cooper handles himself so incredibly well. It feels realistic and utterly brilliant. I adored the moments they were together, even when there was contention between them. But they emerged stronger than ever and I cannot begin to tell you how much I squealed with one admission from Oliver that he said to his family near the end of the book. GLORY.


PLOT: Similar to book two, we have another murder mystery, except this time it involves Oliver’s family, both as victims, and possibly part of the perpetrators? It’s hard to know who to trust and no one comes off in a very good light at first. Cooper is navigating with limited resources and he and Park are once again attempting to discover the truth, except this time it’s Oliver who is also shaken by being back home and contending once again with his past, a past he never wanted Cooper to learn about.




EMOTIONAL INTENSITY: There is no good/bad here. Sometimes I just want a low-investment entertainment read whereas other times a high-stakes 'I need a therapist to recover' is what I need.


4/5: high. Wonderfully immersive. The book tackles a lot of themes about belonging and is incredibly relatable and painful on some levels but so worth it in the end.



CATHARTIC FULFILLMENT: Is the emotional journey worth it? Do I finish this book feeling that I've crested the wave of the climactic moment and everything has been settled, leaving me settled and fulfilled?


90%. I’ll admit that I did wish this book didn’t end quite so abruptly. Once again, in terms of the plot I didn’t get as much denouement as I’d hoped for. But in terms of their relationship goals, it ended brilliantly.

An excellent sequel to the world we were introduced to in book one. Here we have the development of Cooper and Park's relationship to the next level, all while the plotline takes place much closer to home for Cooper. The pair end up in the middle of a decades-old murder investigation that directly affects Cooper's family. This book feels more focused on Cooper than Park, however I appreciated the pieces of vulnerability we did get to see from Park, albeit from Cooper's POV. The climactic event happened both rather suddenly and yet, from a relationship standpoint, I absolutely adored the final reveal of their love for each other. Immersive, tense, and set amidst a whodunit plot, I enjoyed this book almost as much as the first!


Knowing what I know now about this book, would I still read it if I went back in time?
Definitely.


 See below for the four criteria I use to decide whether and when to read a book



CHARACTERS: This book felt a lot more focused on Cooper than Park (which makes sense given we're only given one POV). In this book, Cooper struggles with his growing feelings for Park, believing it can't be love because it hasn't been long enough. Meanwhile, he's still not out to his family, so having this entire story set back in his hometown dregs up a lot of childhood Cooper that he's forced to contend with. At the same time, something strange is happening with Park that leaves him vulnerable with a mysterious ailment. Cooper has to sort out his feelings for Park before it's too late for the both of them. Meanwhile, Park comes through as just as wonderful as in the previous book. His well of compassion, gentleness, and patience is something that feels incredibly alpha-like in ways I don't usually see in shifter stories. The two of them have grown on me and I adore the equal power dynamics between the both of them as they figure out exactly what they mean to each other and how that's going to work.




PLOT: A whodunit murder mystery cold case set in Cooper's hometown. Back in town because of his brother's engagement to a childhood friend, Cooper and Park spend the book in Jagger Valley where Cooper has to contend with feelings and emotions and a past that's haunted him because he's never resolved it. With his father's innocent on the line, Cooper and Park try to uncover the murderer while running the risk of breaking the law. Cooper is too close to the case and neither of them are working in an official capacity.



EMOTIONAL INTENSITY: There is no good/bad here. Sometimes I just want a low-investment entertainment read whereas other times a high-stakes 'I need a therapist to recover' is what I need.

3/5: medium. Immersive as the last book, though I did feel that this book was a little less high-stakes and action-based than book one.



CATHARTIC FULFILLMENT: Is the emotional journey worth it? Do I finish this book feeling that I've crested the wave of the climactic moment and everything has been settled, leaving me settled and fulfilled? 

90%. A large part of this comes from only being granted one POV, unfortunately. Because of that, we end up skipping the aftermath. It also felt far too quick in my opinion. However, the reveal of their feelings for each other was such a wonderful moment that it was hard for me not to feel a wonderful fulfillment. So on the relationship side of the ending: A+. I simply wished for a little bit more with the whodunit plot. That being said, I still finished this story quite content and ready to read the next book. No cliffhangers here! 

 

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

If you loved book one, book two is somehow even better. Everything I loved in the first book is here and multiplied: Percy and Joe's incredibly witty, cerebral, and irreverent banter; an uptempo pacing that careens from one chaotic conflict to the next; a plot that feels as though an innocuous snowball hit the slope and grew as it rolled ever more quickly into a giant avalanche filled with humour, shock, awe, and hysteria (in both senses of the term). Lockwood pulls no punches in this book and I could hardly process starting the book laughing out loud multiple times, to avidly reading in utter astonishment only a few chapters later. And to top it all off, the prose itself is exquisite and delectable, that melt in your mouth deliciousness that makes this book a true joy of an experience to read.

Knowing what I know now about this book, would I still read it if I went back in time?
Absolutely!


 See below for the four criteria I use to decide whether and when to read a book



CHARACTERS: Where do I even begin? Percy and Joe are so wonderfully flawed. Not only do we see them attempting to hitch over relationship hiccups, but they're placed in positions throughout the story that would have them separated forever depending on the heartrending choices they must make in order to save the other. We're gifted once again with third person omniscient, so we don't have to miss a single glorious moment in their thoughts and actions when they are present. I utterly adore their hearts. They both have a wild compassion and chaos to them that truly drives everything they do. Joe's humanity seems more obvious at first, but Percy's empathy becomes just as prevalent throughout the novel. The interplay between their hearts and their actions stemming, at the core, from love, creates two truly fascinating characters to read. We are also gifted more screen-time from Leo and Althea as well, and a few of the scenes with the ensemble cast are some the best! It's truly impossible not to cheer for them, laugh at them, laugh with them, and breathe in so many easy sighs because their temperaments and worldviews are so refreshing! You won't be bored, not with such complex and dynamic characters.



PLOT: SO. MUCH. HAPPENS. This plot is tumultuous and anarchic in the absolute best way. A sacred irreverence permeates the whole story, from our usual art-theft to other supernatural hijinks and utter mayhem that occurs throughout. While I personally did not get triggered, do read the CWs from the author if you are in any way someone who has common triggers, because this story does not skimp. Nothing about this plot is skin deep. Even the banter between Percy and Joe is distinctly cerebral. The religious themes of faith and the sacred collide with the sacrilege of murder and sin in the juiciest of ways. From page one this is a wild ride of a plot that will not let you go until the very last word of the epilogue.



EMOTIONAL INTENSITY: There is no good/bad here. Sometimes I just want a low-investment entertainment read whereas other times a high-stakes 'I need a therapist to recover' is what I need.

4/5:high. Immersive, bombastic, violent, stormy, and overflowing with love and one of the steamiest scenes I've read, this story isn't for the faint of heart, but Lockwood also protects our hearts all the way through the novel.



CATHARTIC FULFILLMENT: Is the emotional journey worth it? Do I finish this book feeling that I've crested the wave of the climactic moment and everything has been settled, leaving me settled and fulfilled? 

100%. And this is a rare score from me, but true. Somehow the climactic events ended up turbulent and wild in perfect proportion with the rest of the plot. Even I didn't expect the twist that occurred. W.H. Lockwood is one of the few authors I know who can shock me into gasping out loud, bursting into laughter on the next page, only to go right back to being utterly astonished in the span of a sentence. I cannot give this tale enough kudos. 

 

I'm writing this review after my second read of this finale, (and third read of the rest of the series). What a perfect ending to the Magi Accounts. I cannot begin to describe how worth the wait this book was. We have non-stop action, high-emotion, high-stakes, gloriously beautiful moments amongst all of our characters, dual-POV again (so we don't miss anything!), and one of the most insane, heart-wrenching, cathartic climactic endings I've read.


Knowing what I know now about this book, would I still read it if I went back in time?
Already have! And I'm sure I will again! This is one of my favorite series.


 See below for the four criteria I use to decide whether and when to read a book



CHARACTERS: What more is there to say at this point? Every character is golden and their own. Mads and Cos really shine and in this book we get even more of the characters we've come to know and love throughout the rest of the series. There are no strange out of character moments. In many ways, we get to see their relationship level-up even more, both within the main arc, and the epilogue as well. If you've loved them so far, you'll continue to love them.



PLOT: This book takes the darkest and most intense turn of all the books, which is saying something, considering Michele isn't afraid to dig deep into the psyche and hit us hard with so many sucker punch moments. The "battle" is hard-fought and isn't easily won, which is something that I rarely find (personally) in the books I read. Here, everything has been built up into that finale that truly feels epic. Be aware of triggers and content warnings, of course, as we do have a couple of flashback moments. We have nearly non-stop action and intensity, perfectly balanced with moments of pure sweetness and a chance to breathe and remember exactly what we (and they) are all fighting for.



EMOTIONAL INTENSITY: There is no good/bad here. Sometimes I just want a low-investment entertainment read whereas other times a high-stakes 'I need a therapist to recover' is what I need.


5/5: high. This book put me through the wringer. And yet it did so in a way that I knew my heart would be protected and taken care of by the end of reading. A very safe emotional intensity.



CATHARTIC FULFILLMENT: Is the emotional journey worth it? Do I finish this book feeling that I've crested the wave of the climactic moment and everything has been settled, leaving me settled and fulfilled?

100%. Again, this is such a rare rating for me. But the climactic event is BIG, it makes sense to the build up from the rest of the story, and the aftermath is actually there. We don't have a "fade to black" or "cut to months later" moment in this one. Almost everything I needed I received, and I am eternally grateful for that. 

My overall impression after finishing this one is relief (especially because as of writing this, the final book is almost a year away from publication). The intensity in this story is high, it’s clearly the beginning of the end for the story, but at the same time, Michele doesn’t leave us hanging and I am so grateful for this. I was actually able to predict the major event for this one based off the name of the final book, but ironically, and thankfully, said conflict is successfully finished by the end of the book. Ultimately, I loved the intensity, but also how none of it felt cliche at all which meant I kept getting excited with how the events continued to pan out!


Would I go back in time and still read this book, knowing what I know now?
Absolutely. Probably even faster. I was so worried because the final book isn’t coming out for another year (as of this review) that I actually put it off (okay, so it was only a day but still), because I was so worried about being left hanging. But that didn’t happen. So worth it!


See below for the four criteria I use to decide whether and when to read a book


CHARACTERS: What can I say? I love these characters. I love that Haiden and Logan are growing up and so they’re playing even bigger roles in the plot now. I enjoyed that the way the events occurred, Charlie had a slightly bigger role too, which I absolutely loved. Don’t get me wrong, I love Cos and Mads. Sometimes it’s fun to see the other characters being able to step up in a way we’d always expect that it would be Mads for Cos or Cos for Mads. It’s refreshing. And Mads was honestly super super super cool in this one too. He has some moments to shine that are…really badass to read.


PLOT: The stakes are highest in this one and the plot flies. Everyone is undertaking something new that the reader is not used to either, so given how dangerous the world is and what they attempt to do in this book, it’s understandable. I was impressed with the moments of ‘waiting’ that were included. They’re realistic, but also, Michele was able to write them in a way that didn’t drag down the plot pacing, which truly was awesome. The climax of all the events is a little muddled, intensity versus events, but ultimately I loved reading it. I’ll admit though, I did keep expecting that one final big event to occur.


EMOTIONAL INTENSITY: There is no good/bad here. Sometimes I just want a low-investment entertainment read whereas other times a high-stakes 'I need a therapist to recover' is what I need.

5 out of 5/high. Thankfully, Michele does such an incredible job of taking care of the reader, but the stakes, the world, the conflict… highest of the series so far.



CATHARTIC FULFILLMENT: Is the emotional journey worth it? Do I finish this book feeling that I've crested the wave of the climactic moment and everything has been settled, leaving me settled and fulfilled?

99%. As I said at the top, I’m so so so relieved with how this book ended overall. The author didn’t leave us hanging, even though there is clearly a final conflict to tackle in the final book. The last 1% is only because I actually felt like there was just that one final bit that was missing from the aftermath. And part of that possibly had to do with simply how she had to tell the events based on where the characters were. But ugh, so much relief.