skycam's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
funny
sad
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
4.0
Pfft what was that ending?? Like the first book ended on a cliffhanger, but this one didn’t even really feel like an ending it was so abrupt!
Anyways, my fave characters changed a lot throughout this book. I won’t mention names here but I love my faves so freaking much like these characters are still my everything <3
The plot still confuses the heck out of me, but I’ve just learned to act like I know what’s going on. I enjoyed the setting change though!
I really want the last book to get a higher rating from me so we will see!
Anyways, my fave characters changed a lot throughout this book. I won’t mention names here but I love my faves so freaking much like these characters are still my everything <3
The plot still confuses the heck out of me, but I’ve just learned to act like I know what’s going on. I enjoyed the setting change though!
Spoiler
Fave character used to be Hypnos and now it’s Laila, Zofia, and Enrique because both Hypnos and Severin were dumb in this book. Emphasis on Severin like he’s supposed to be super smart and he’s acting like this?? I’m sorry but it’s going to take a lot of groveling for me to forgive him. And Hypnos?? That was the loml in the first book, but in this one we found out he never even wanted to be with Enrique which just broke my freaking heart cause I loved those two so much in the first book. But I am very excited to hopefully see Zofia and Enrique together soon!!rylie_nicole12's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.75
apow1071's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
anne_sophie_j's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
adblanc's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
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
5.0
rosesrosie's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
sad
tense
fast-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
4.5
quiltedquill's review against another edition
Could not get into the characters this time.
writeronherway's review against another edition
4.0
I couldn’t wait to step back into this world even though I knew that the characters I’d grown to love in The Gilded Wolves were going to be in some dark, twisty places. Tonally, there’s quite a big shift. Hypons’ over enthusiastic attempts to lift the mood often feel discordant. The characters are all dealing with the fallout from losing Tristan, the versions of each other and the bonds they shared before.
Laila, Enrique and Zofia’s friendship was presented beautifully. Even as their roles shift, the trust and honesty in their unconditional love for each other really strengthens their relationships. They shared the difficulty of dealing with a changed Severin, mourning Tristan and the loss of their group dynamic. The new characters added something but I’ll admit, a bit like our core four, I just wanted them to go away!
The myths and legends were elegantly woven in. The setting was beautiful! Ice palace? Yes please! Dead dismembered bodies in the basement? Um, no thank you but okay... Yes, it got dark quickly!
I love (and hate) where we are left at the end. Bit of a shocker. I was waiting for that dagger to come into play but I really did question what Severin had done for a moment! Also... SHE DOESN’T KNOW BECAUSE SHE CRUSHED THE MNEMO BUG! OH NO! I am so excited to see what book 3 brings. Hello Severin’s redemption arc and campaign “let’s save Laila!” Seriously Chokshi, what are you doing to me?
Laila, Enrique and Zofia’s friendship was presented beautifully. Even as their roles shift, the trust and honesty in their unconditional love for each other really strengthens their relationships. They shared the difficulty of dealing with a changed Severin, mourning Tristan and the loss of their group dynamic. The new characters added something but I’ll admit, a bit like our core four, I just wanted them to go away!
The myths and legends were elegantly woven in. The setting was beautiful! Ice palace? Yes please! Dead dismembered bodies in the basement? Um, no thank you but okay... Yes, it got dark quickly!
I love (and hate) where we are left at the end. Bit of a shocker. I was waiting for that dagger to come into play but I really did question what Severin had done for a moment! Also... SHE DOESN’T KNOW BECAUSE SHE CRUSHED THE MNEMO BUG! OH NO! I am so excited to see what book 3 brings. Hello Severin’s redemption arc and campaign “let’s save Laila!” Seriously Chokshi, what are you doing to me?
danzibooks's review against another edition
5.0
LAWD JEEZAS, WHY DID NO ONE PREPARE ME FOR THAT ENDING?!
Full review to come. But I'm thinking 4.5 stars. Maybe 5, idc idc!
Full review to come. But I'm thinking 4.5 stars. Maybe 5, idc idc!
readingthestars's review against another edition
4.0
*I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
Slight spoilers.
I love Roshani Choksih's writing. It's so intriguing and fast paced, which is exactly what I like in a book. Any big issues would be from how confusing this (and the previous book) can be to get into/understand. Sometimes the characters do things that don't really make sense to me in the grand scheme of things (such as, in this book, the characters finding a desert of sorts). I also can't really get a sense of how old the characters are, but that's not really a problem, just something I've noticed.
It's also been a while since I read The Gilded Wolves, so I'm unsure if some of my confusion comes from not 100% remembering the actions of that book. But I also remember being slightly confused by some scenes in The Gilded Wolves, especially concerning the world building and Forging. Maybe I've forgotten, but I don't quite understand Forging and how it interacts with the rest of the world.
One thing I noticed is the technology that the characters use - they have projections and devices that detect traps. Though these technological developments don't quite match the surrounding environment/setting, it's a really interesting mix.
Towards the end, I FELT that suspense over who was to blame. I was on the edge of my seat, and the ending, while not being completely satisfying simply because it's an open ending, is going to set up the next book well. Can't wait to read it!
Slight spoilers.
I love Roshani Choksih's writing. It's so intriguing and fast paced, which is exactly what I like in a book. Any big issues would be from how confusing this (and the previous book) can be to get into/understand. Sometimes the characters do things that don't really make sense to me in the grand scheme of things (such as, in this book, the characters finding a desert of sorts). I also can't really get a sense of how old the characters are, but that's not really a problem, just something I've noticed.
It's also been a while since I read The Gilded Wolves, so I'm unsure if some of my confusion comes from not 100% remembering the actions of that book. But I also remember being slightly confused by some scenes in The Gilded Wolves, especially concerning the world building and Forging. Maybe I've forgotten, but I don't quite understand Forging and how it interacts with the rest of the world.
One thing I noticed is the technology that the characters use - they have projections and devices that detect traps. Though these technological developments don't quite match the surrounding environment/setting, it's a really interesting mix.
Towards the end, I FELT that suspense over who was to blame. I was on the edge of my seat, and the ending, while not being completely satisfying simply because it's an open ending, is going to set up the next book well. Can't wait to read it!