wordsareweapons's review against another edition
5.0
I AM CRYING!!
This DID NOT disappoint! You thought Wicked Saints was dark and bloody, and torture-y my friends you know nothing. These sweet, tortured souls are in so far over their heads it's insane. The stakes are high, the gods are beyond ruthless, and my heart is not ok. The world and magic gets more developed and the characters.....change...but also don't??? IDK they're going through a lot right now. We meet some equally disturbed new characters, and learn more about the original messed up gang.
THE ENDING THOUGH! Excuse me while I die until book 3 comes out, that was just cruel and perfect.
This DID NOT disappoint! You thought Wicked Saints was dark and bloody, and torture-y my friends you know nothing. These sweet, tortured souls are in so far over their heads it's insane. The stakes are high, the gods are beyond ruthless, and my heart is not ok. The world and magic gets more developed and the characters.....change...but also don't??? IDK they're going through a lot right now. We meet some equally disturbed new characters, and learn more about the original messed up gang.
THE ENDING THOUGH! Excuse me while I die until book 3 comes out, that was just cruel and perfect.
books_plan_create's review against another edition
2.0
Wicked Saints was one of my favorite 2019 books, and my hope was Ruthless Saints would follow that path...but it did not. I can pinpoint the exact point where I was over the Nadya (page 353) and wanted it all to end. Page 450 was when my rating dropped to a 2, and the ending BARELY kept it from a 1. Somehow Nadya has devolved into a whiny, annoying character; I am at a point where I cannot stand her. IMO she was a fairly strong character, I enjoyed her development, and I understand that she went through some stuff in book one, but come on! What happened to her?!
I also got the impression the author was trying to turn Nadya into an amalgamation of Feyre/CelaenaAelin/Alina and it was a complete failure. Personality traits that made me detest Feyre and Aelin showed up here and UGH. The interactions Nadya had with Malachiasz became cringey. She was either threatening him, pulling a knife on him, hitting him, or wanting to jump his bones. Then the whishy washy: I hate him, I love him! I need to kill him, I need to save him. PICK ONE! Jesus, at this point I want to kill him and he is the ONLY redeeming part of Ruthless Gods at this point!
And let's talk about Nadya's power...supposedly she has oodles of power that she doesn't know about and her power can destroy the world. But no one can say what or how. When we can FINALLY see her tap into that power, oops Fade to Black. WHAT?! No, no no don't do that, let us see her power. How the hell did they get out of that situation and no one mentions it? I hate you chapter 33.
Ruthless Gods needed tighter editing, it needed to loose 50-100 pages and a lot of the repetitious scenes. And can we talk about "fuck." This is new in the book and it was so out of place that I hated it and made me hate the book even more. And why is a divine cleric saying it?!
Oh, one last irritation-the passage of time. Sooo based on comments Serefin made, this book takes place over a year or longer? O.o We spend months traveling to a forest, to then spend weeks in the forest. And these passages of time are mentioned in one sentence. Suddenly days have passed. Wait, what? Looking at the map doesn't make sense at all.
I just can't. I am so over this crap. I honestly don't know if I want to read book three anymore. I probably will just to know how it all ends and to see if it redeems itself. But man. I have never been so pissed at being let down than I have been with this one.
I also got the impression the author was trying to turn Nadya into an amalgamation of Feyre/CelaenaAelin/Alina and it was a complete failure. Personality traits that made me detest Feyre and Aelin showed up here and UGH. The interactions Nadya had with Malachiasz became cringey. She was either threatening him, pulling a knife on him, hitting him, or wanting to jump his bones. Then the whishy washy: I hate him, I love him! I need to kill him, I need to save him. PICK ONE! Jesus, at this point I want to kill him and he is the ONLY redeeming part of Ruthless Gods at this point!
And let's talk about Nadya's power...supposedly she has oodles of power that she doesn't know about and her power can destroy the world. But no one can say what or how. When we can FINALLY see her tap into that power, oops Fade to Black. WHAT?! No, no no don't do that, let us see her power. How the hell did they get out of that situation and no one mentions it? I hate you chapter 33.
Ruthless Gods needed tighter editing, it needed to loose 50-100 pages and a lot of the repetitious scenes. And can we talk about "fuck." This is new in the book and it was so out of place that I hated it and made me hate the book even more. And why is a divine cleric saying it?!
Oh, one last irritation-the passage of time. Sooo based on comments Serefin made, this book takes place over a year or longer? O.o We spend months traveling to a forest, to then spend weeks in the forest. And these passages of time are mentioned in one sentence. Suddenly days have passed. Wait, what? Looking at the map doesn't make sense at all.
I just can't. I am so over this crap. I honestly don't know if I want to read book three anymore. I probably will just to know how it all ends and to see if it redeems itself. But man. I have never been so pissed at being let down than I have been with this one.
oncemorewithreading's review against another edition
4.0
I had kept putting off the first book as I had heard so many mixed reviews so when I saw this book on NetGalley I knew it was finally time to delve into this world.
Oh my god, I am obsessed.
This world, these characters and Emily A. Duncan’s Writing style are just captivating.
These characters are so morally grey but I can’t help but love them all, including the side characters. Nadya and Malachiasz’s relationship is so infuriating but I can’t help but finding myself wanting more! It was interesting to watch the two’s character development along with Serefin who goes through so much in this book that my heart honestly goes out to him.
There were points in this book that I had to re-read paragraphs as there is so much information to take in and one little distraction leads to confusion on my part. It was also a little bit hard to get my head wrapped around the new gods and monsters that were introduced in this book but after a little while it all just clicked into place.
The book also felt a bit slower in places in comparison to the pacing of the first book Wicked Saints but the more I read on I realised that this was needed in order to set up for the end of the book and the next book, which I am honestly so excited for!
Overall this was an amazing second novel with twists and obstacles which will have you hooked. I honestly do recommend giving this a read!
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Wednesday Books for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
Oh my god, I am obsessed.
This world, these characters and Emily A. Duncan’s Writing style are just captivating.
These characters are so morally grey but I can’t help but love them all, including the side characters. Nadya and Malachiasz’s relationship is so infuriating but I can’t help but finding myself wanting more! It was interesting to watch the two’s character development along with Serefin who goes through so much in this book that my heart honestly goes out to him.
There were points in this book that I had to re-read paragraphs as there is so much information to take in and one little distraction leads to confusion on my part. It was also a little bit hard to get my head wrapped around the new gods and monsters that were introduced in this book but after a little while it all just clicked into place.
The book also felt a bit slower in places in comparison to the pacing of the first book Wicked Saints but the more I read on I realised that this was needed in order to set up for the end of the book and the next book, which I am honestly so excited for!
Overall this was an amazing second novel with twists and obstacles which will have you hooked. I honestly do recommend giving this a read!
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Wednesday Books for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
ikarichelle's review against another edition
4.0
The hardest thing about this book was reading the first one a year ago! I spent the first part of my time reading this book very confused because I had forgotten what happened.
However, this book was even better than Wicked Saints for me and that was because of the eldritch horror element. We got a taste of it at the end of Wicked Saints, and it really really worked out so well. Reading this at night during a time where sleep has not come to me easily left me somewhat skittish in the best way possible. I really love the writing of Emily A. Duncan and I look forward to the next book!
However, this book was even better than Wicked Saints for me and that was because of the eldritch horror element. We got a taste of it at the end of Wicked Saints, and it really really worked out so well. Reading this at night during a time where sleep has not come to me easily left me somewhat skittish in the best way possible. I really love the writing of Emily A. Duncan and I look forward to the next book!
caitlinwhetten's review against another edition
2.0
Because I went into this with lowered expectations than I did with Wicked Saints (one of my most anticipated books last year), I was less harsh and frustrated while reading this one.
A little less frustrated, but still frustrated.
Ruthless Gods doesn't really improve much on Wicked Saints. Re-reading my review for WS, all the same problems are still present in this one. There's far too much blood to a comical effect. There's too many sentences with the words "monster" and "boy" included. Nadya still gets Taylor Swift Surprise Face when Malachiasz betrays her.
*sigh* Nadya and Malachiasz might be the worst thing in this book. I mean, it's supposed to be a dark villain romance, right? But there's nothing dark or sexy about it when Malachiasz tags along on the road trip like Samwise Gamgee. Would the Darkling and Alina's relationship had been so intriguing if he had come with her and had heart-to-hearts and morning conversations over breakfast and picked his cuticles? I just didn't get this relationship at all. He's not evil or villainous enough since everyone lets him come along with no way to keep him subdued. Malachiasz didn't seem like a threat because no one in the group treated him like a threat. And yet, I'm constantly reminded that "he's a monster." It was so back-and-forth.
The gothic atmosphere is still present in this book. I loved the Salt Mines, the forest, everything. It's something that Duncan does capture very well in her prose.
And I also ended up liking Serefin even more in this one. He was the best thing in the book. He was relatable, but tortured. There were stakes to his story. I understood what was going on. And his little blossoming romance with Kacper was sweet. I get Serefin and all that's going on there. I don't get Nadya's end of the story.
The plot was barely there. It's mostly a trek through the country to get to a place that will supposedly give everyone involved what they want even though they all want different things . . . ? I don't know. But it was mostly people standing around and talking about the world/magic system or walking and talking about the world/magic system. Or meeting someone who then talks to them about the world/magic system. This is one of those books where it gives the same information over and over and over again and yet, I'm still confused and don't get it.
So yeah. A lot that this book just doesn't do for me. But I didn't absolutely hate reading it either. I might even still pick up the third one. It's a bit of a guilty pleasure because objectively, this book isn't good. And yet, I still love the goth, dark fantasy atmosphere that gives me the Grisha vibes. I love morally grey, twisted, villainous characters, but this book is also a muddled mess. Here's hoping everything makes sense in Book 3.
A little less frustrated, but still frustrated.
Ruthless Gods doesn't really improve much on Wicked Saints. Re-reading my review for WS, all the same problems are still present in this one. There's far too much blood to a comical effect. There's too many sentences with the words "monster" and "boy" included. Nadya still gets Taylor Swift Surprise Face when Malachiasz betrays her.
*sigh* Nadya and Malachiasz might be the worst thing in this book. I mean, it's supposed to be a dark villain romance, right? But there's nothing dark or sexy about it when Malachiasz tags along on the road trip like Samwise Gamgee. Would the Darkling and Alina's relationship had been so intriguing if he had come with her and had heart-to-hearts and morning conversations over breakfast and picked his cuticles? I just didn't get this relationship at all. He's not evil or villainous enough since everyone lets him come along with no way to keep him subdued. Malachiasz didn't seem like a threat because no one in the group treated him like a threat. And yet, I'm constantly reminded that "he's a monster." It was so back-and-forth.
The gothic atmosphere is still present in this book. I loved the Salt Mines, the forest, everything. It's something that Duncan does capture very well in her prose.
And I also ended up liking Serefin even more in this one. He was the best thing in the book. He was relatable, but tortured. There were stakes to his story. I understood what was going on. And his little blossoming romance with Kacper was sweet. I get Serefin and all that's going on there. I don't get Nadya's end of the story.
The plot was barely there. It's mostly a trek through the country to get to a place that will supposedly give everyone involved what they want even though they all want different things . . . ? I don't know. But it was mostly people standing around and talking about the world/magic system or walking and talking about the world/magic system. Or meeting someone who then talks to them about the world/magic system. This is one of those books where it gives the same information over and over and over again and yet, I'm still confused and don't get it.
So yeah. A lot that this book just doesn't do for me. But I didn't absolutely hate reading it either. I might even still pick up the third one. It's a bit of a guilty pleasure because objectively, this book isn't good. And yet, I still love the goth, dark fantasy atmosphere that gives me the Grisha vibes. I love morally grey, twisted, villainous characters, but this book is also a muddled mess. Here's hoping everything makes sense in Book 3.
carringtonreads's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
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
3.0
thereadingtrashqueen's review against another edition
4.0
A huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a free eARC in return for an honest review.
Wicked Saints is quite a polarizing book: you either enjoy/love it, or you can't stand it. There is no two ways about it. I am one of the people who really enjoyed Wicked Saints, and who had only a few qualms. I feel like Ruthless Gods will be the same way. If you enjoyed Wicked Saints, you'll enjoy this one. If you weren't sure, or didn't like it, and wanted to give the sequel a try... you'll probably hate it. So don't do it.
A few trigger warnings, before we get started, borrowed from my buddy bestie Julia:
Ruthless Gods starts 4 months after Wicked Saints' ending, and while slow paced, it is a constant rollercoaster. It is darker and bloodier than the first book, and there is A Lot more going on. There are lies upon lies upon lies and even more secrets. Both Nadya and Serefin are basically going through hell 432/432 pages. Especially Serefin. Be prepared.
All of these struggles and character insight and development really made me care about Serefin even more. Nadya is still the same annoying character, with so much drama I wanted to scream at her. All the back and forth and back and forth and contradicting herself constantly within a few sentences was just entirely too frustrating, and actually made me feel more disconnected from her. Which is a terrible shame of course, as she is the main character after all. The ending shows some promise that she might go through a change in the third book, and I am very curious about it, and have hope!
In my review of Wicked Saints, I mentioned I had expected and wanted a different star-crossed relationship, because the one we got was too insta-love for me. Well, joke's on me, because while we didn't get that particular relationship, we got another which I loved SO MUCH MORE. I will protect this ship with my life, whereas Nadya and Malachiasz can go off somewhere on their own and indulge in their insta-love.
That sounded a bit harsh. I liked the dynamic they had in Ruthless Gods, just not the way Nadya's mind worked. It was very exhausting to read her chapters, but luckily it wasn't all bad.
Malachiasz is still such an intriguing character, although I feel he is different from Wicked Saints in a way that didn't entirely gel with me, personally. I really wish we got to see inside his head. He is still one of my favorite characters, and I cannot wait to see where the third book will take him, as I absolutely have no idea right now. Also, some of his descriptions were gruesome and I loved it!
We also got some new characters, though I didn't particularly care for them a whole lot. I am suspicious as to what will happen to them, though, as they are (or at least can be) very important! There were also several POV interludes of certain characters I really loved getting some insight to, and I hope we get more of that in the final book.
Ruthless Gods takes the story to such a new height (quite literally) with such a climax, it left me reeling. That ending was stellar, and the fact that I now have to wait for the third book is really not something I'm looking forward to. I want answers. I want to know the fate of these characters and their countries. The way this book leaves things, is such a shift from what we've known, that it's truly impossible for me to even try to consider what might happen next. Which is, of course, awesome. We love to be surprised. And hopefully it will be in the best way possible!
A few things however, that just kept pulling me out of the story:
- the usage of 'boy' when talking about 17/18 year old guys from the perspective of a 17 year old felt really weird and juvenile to me. ; this is a direct quote from my Wicked Saints review, and it still holds true. It was jarring. As if they were 12 year olds.
- the usage of 'yanking/yanked'. I mean. What is wrong with pulling? Yanking felt so entirely out of place, and just wrong for the amazing world this is set in.
- Nadya's overthinking.
For me, Ruthless Gods is a very solid 4 star read, and would be more if I hadn't been so annoyed with Nadya most of the time. I cannot wait for the third book, and for a reread before it comes out!
Wicked Saints is quite a polarizing book: you either enjoy/love it, or you can't stand it. There is no two ways about it. I am one of the people who really enjoyed Wicked Saints, and who had only a few qualms. I feel like Ruthless Gods will be the same way. If you enjoyed Wicked Saints, you'll enjoy this one. If you weren't sure, or didn't like it, and wanted to give the sequel a try... you'll probably hate it. So don't do it.
A few trigger warnings, before we get started, borrowed from my buddy bestie Julia:
Spoiler
blood and gore, eye trauma, cutting for blood magic purposes, mention of self-harm, light drug use, alcohol use.Ruthless Gods starts 4 months after Wicked Saints' ending, and while slow paced, it is a constant rollercoaster. It is darker and bloodier than the first book, and there is A Lot more going on. There are lies upon lies upon lies and even more secrets. Both Nadya and Serefin are basically going through hell 432/432 pages. Especially Serefin. Be prepared.
All of these struggles and character insight and development really made me care about Serefin even more. Nadya is still the same annoying character, with so much drama I wanted to scream at her. All the back and forth and back and forth and contradicting herself constantly within a few sentences was just entirely too frustrating, and actually made me feel more disconnected from her. Which is a terrible shame of course, as she is the main character after all. The ending shows some promise that she might go through a change in the third book, and I am very curious about it, and have hope!
In my review of Wicked Saints, I mentioned I had expected and wanted a different star-crossed relationship, because the one we got was too insta-love for me. Well, joke's on me, because while we didn't get that particular relationship, we got another which I loved SO MUCH MORE. I will protect this ship with my life, whereas Nadya and Malachiasz can go off somewhere on their own and indulge in their insta-love.
That sounded a bit harsh. I liked the dynamic they had in Ruthless Gods, just not the way Nadya's mind worked. It was very exhausting to read her chapters, but luckily it wasn't all bad.
Malachiasz is still such an intriguing character, although I feel he is different from Wicked Saints in a way that didn't entirely gel with me, personally. I really wish we got to see inside his head. He is still one of my favorite characters, and I cannot wait to see where the third book will take him, as I absolutely have no idea right now. Also, some of his descriptions were gruesome and I loved it!
We also got some new characters, though I didn't particularly care for them a whole lot. I am suspicious as to what will happen to them, though, as they are (or at least can be) very important! There were also several POV interludes of certain characters I really loved getting some insight to, and I hope we get more of that in the final book.
Ruthless Gods takes the story to such a new height (quite literally) with such a climax, it left me reeling. That ending was stellar, and the fact that I now have to wait for the third book is really not something I'm looking forward to. I want answers. I want to know the fate of these characters and their countries. The way this book leaves things, is such a shift from what we've known, that it's truly impossible for me to even try to consider what might happen next. Which is, of course, awesome. We love to be surprised. And hopefully it will be in the best way possible!
A few things however, that just kept pulling me out of the story:
- the usage of 'boy' when talking about 17/18 year old guys from the perspective of a 17 year old felt really weird and juvenile to me. ; this is a direct quote from my Wicked Saints review, and it still holds true. It was jarring. As if they were 12 year olds.
- the usage of 'yanking/yanked'. I mean. What is wrong with pulling? Yanking felt so entirely out of place, and just wrong for the amazing world this is set in.
- Nadya's overthinking.
Spoiler
At one point I just wanted her to turn dark completely so she could stop whining and side with Malachiasz at the end. She did side with him a little bit, but he took it to a direction she hadn't intended. It was a mess, and sadly, I didn't get dark!Nadya, or Dark Couple Extraordinaire.For me, Ruthless Gods is a very solid 4 star read, and would be more if I hadn't been so annoyed with Nadya most of the time. I cannot wait for the third book, and for a reread before it comes out!
missrenn's review against another edition
5.0
I received this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I cannot believe this trilogy is almost over. I fell in love with Wicked Saints pretty quickly and couldn't wait to devour this next installment. Spoiler alert: I wasn't disappointed. The author took the events that occurred in the first novel and cranked up the dial to 11. Now, if you haven't read Wicked Saints you may not want to read through this review because it may be a bit spoilery (I'll try my best to keep them out though).
Once again we follow my favorite murder children, Nadya, Serefin, and Malachiasz (though admittedly we didn't get enough of my favorite Sad Boy). Emily's said before that this novel is mostly focused on Serefin and how he's dealing with things after the events of the first book and that's true. We see what's happening in his country now that he's ruling and how he's dealing with the...new voice in his head (that's not really his own). With Nadya, we see the consequences of binding her magic with Malachiasz's and how they're both dealing with this issue. And ultimately these three are pawns in a much bigger game and we get to see who's really pulling the strings, and let me just say this sets the stage again for bigger things in the final novel.
Now, sit back and let me gush about my murder children.
Just like in book one, Serefin and his friends Ostyia and Jacper are some of my favorites. Despite slowly losing his mind, Serefin is still the drunk prince he was in the beginning of this trilogy...just with more responsibility. A lot of time went into developing Serefin in this novel and it really shows in the way his relationship with Jacper evolves from friendship into something more. I also really enjoyed Serefin's struggle with his new body buddy (I have no other idea what to call this voice, haha). Throughout the story we see him slowly deteriorating and trying to hide it from his friends, but of course they see through it. On this note, Nadya and Malachiasz's relationship is taken to the next level in this novel. We see just how much Nadya cares for our favorite little cult leader and how she can sense him through their new bond. SPOILERS: I loved seeing Nadya confront him in the mines where he's "in charge" and kind of throw him off balance. I really want to see more of the mines and what goes on there in the third book (hopefully).
Overall, the takeaway from this series/novel is that this author really knows how to write irredeemable characters and make you love and hate them all at once. You can hate Malachiasz for being the monster he's said he is, you can find Nadya annoying in her pursuit of her gods and you can think Serefin is corrupt from the inside out, but in the end the author somehow makes them relatable and broken and beautiful in their own way. These characters are all unapologetically themselves the good, the bad, and the ugly all on display and it's beautifully written.
Admittedly there were some parts of the novel that could be confusing. Sometimes I did feel like there was a big jump from point A to point D and the journey there was all a little foggy, but this novel, for what it's worth, was fast paced and exciting and really set the stage and raised the stakes for the last book.
If you're into dark fantasy, enemies to lovers, and vengeful gods, then this is the book for you!
I cannot believe this trilogy is almost over. I fell in love with Wicked Saints pretty quickly and couldn't wait to devour this next installment. Spoiler alert: I wasn't disappointed. The author took the events that occurred in the first novel and cranked up the dial to 11. Now, if you haven't read Wicked Saints you may not want to read through this review because it may be a bit spoilery (I'll try my best to keep them out though).
Once again we follow my favorite murder children, Nadya, Serefin, and Malachiasz (though admittedly we didn't get enough of my favorite Sad Boy). Emily's said before that this novel is mostly focused on Serefin and how he's dealing with things after the events of the first book and that's true. We see what's happening in his country now that he's ruling and how he's dealing with the...new voice in his head (that's not really his own). With Nadya, we see the consequences of binding her magic with Malachiasz's and how they're both dealing with this issue. And ultimately these three are pawns in a much bigger game and we get to see who's really pulling the strings, and let me just say this sets the stage again for bigger things in the final novel.
Now, sit back and let me gush about my murder children.
Just like in book one, Serefin and his friends Ostyia and Jacper are some of my favorites. Despite slowly losing his mind, Serefin is still the drunk prince he was in the beginning of this trilogy...just with more responsibility. A lot of time went into developing Serefin in this novel and it really shows in the way his relationship with Jacper evolves from friendship into something more. I also really enjoyed Serefin's struggle with his new body buddy (I have no other idea what to call this voice, haha). Throughout the story we see him slowly deteriorating and trying to hide it from his friends, but of course they see through it. On this note, Nadya and Malachiasz's relationship is taken to the next level in this novel. We see just how much Nadya cares for our favorite little cult leader and how she can sense him through their new bond. SPOILERS: I loved seeing Nadya confront him in the mines where he's "in charge" and kind of throw him off balance. I really want to see more of the mines and what goes on there in the third book (hopefully).
Overall, the takeaway from this series/novel is that this author really knows how to write irredeemable characters and make you love and hate them all at once. You can hate Malachiasz for being the monster he's said he is, you can find Nadya annoying in her pursuit of her gods and you can think Serefin is corrupt from the inside out, but in the end the author somehow makes them relatable and broken and beautiful in their own way. These characters are all unapologetically themselves the good, the bad, and the ugly all on display and it's beautifully written.
Admittedly there were some parts of the novel that could be confusing. Sometimes I did feel like there was a big jump from point A to point D and the journey there was all a little foggy, but this novel, for what it's worth, was fast paced and exciting and really set the stage and raised the stakes for the last book.
If you're into dark fantasy, enemies to lovers, and vengeful gods, then this is the book for you!
bookishbuddies's review against another edition
5.0
5 stars!
Let me start off by saying: OUCH. This book hurt. In a good way. While I was a bit intimidated because this book is nearly 600 pages, I needn't have feared it. The action picks up really early in the book and I had already been kicked in the heart about four times by chapter 3. I really loved this book! I thought the characters were amazing, the worldbuilding is super interesting, especially when not everything is as it seems on first glance, and the plot was also phenomenal. I love the character development in this book and I love how gory this book is. It is very dark for a YA book, but I didn't mind one bit! Right when I thought (near the end) that the thing I was afraid of wouldn't happen, the thing I was afraid of happened, and I was sobbing by the end. All in all, this book gave me all the feels and it delivered very well as a second book! I cannot wait until the third book in the series comes out!
Let me start off by saying: OUCH. This book hurt. In a good way. While I was a bit intimidated because this book is nearly 600 pages, I needn't have feared it. The action picks up really early in the book and I had already been kicked in the heart about four times by chapter 3. I really loved this book! I thought the characters were amazing, the worldbuilding is super interesting, especially when not everything is as it seems on first glance, and the plot was also phenomenal. I love the character development in this book and I love how gory this book is. It is very dark for a YA book, but I didn't mind one bit! Right when I thought (near the end) that the thing I was afraid of wouldn't happen, the thing I was afraid of happened, and I was sobbing by the end. All in all, this book gave me all the feels and it delivered very well as a second book! I cannot wait until the third book in the series comes out!