Reviews

My least favorite of the series. The ending is great, but it doesn't go for long enough while the middle feels like filler in my opinion. I am not sure exactly where she is going in book 5, but I feel like it could have been wrapped up in this sequel.
I hate to say it but there were too many repetitive love scenes, although the last one was pretty good. As others have said, I do feel like Slade is a copy of Rowan from the Throne of Glass series.
From about 40 - 70% I found myself wanting to look at my phone instead of reading when in comparison I couldn't put books 2/3 down. I will put book 5 on my to-read list, but I don't have high hopes.

maggie_books92's review against another edition

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5.0

I couldn't put this down! Absolutely amazing & I can't wait for the next book to find out what happens!

nancyk's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

em85's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

mindyjean's review against another edition

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adventurous dark funny tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

wickedlit_reviews's review against another edition

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5.0

My heart broke

jazzxreads's review against another edition

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3.0

This book took me 25 days to finish, which is borderline unheard of for me. I normally take a week, max... this, I genuinely debated DNFing at the 76% mark because it just felt so ... dry.
It was a lot of prologue of Slade's childhood, which was great but felt misplaced. This is the 4th book in a 6 book series, and the prologue for him is happening now?
Osrik and Rissa's POV felt misplaced as well, I did not give a single care in the world during their chapters. I had books worth building up for Slade and Auren, and their "enemies to lovers" felt more like instalust because it was a five-page timespan of 5 pages.

I understood the premise of working through Auren's trauma and showing the juxtaposition how Slade is so amazing with all birds and how he's always cared for them and then Auren's nickname as Goldfinch. I enjoyed the last 90% of the book especially with the tension and Slade and Auren and the cliffhanger was a really good one.

Overall though, this book dragged. I'll still pick up the next book, but it wasn't nearly as captivating and consuming as Gleam.

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