Reviews

I have to give this book five stars because it did everything right. No big was overbearing on the complicated fantasy nor too overwhelming with the protagonist monologues. It was just right. JLA writes so wittingly and the banter and back was fun to read. I must say I was a bit disappointing given the length that Trinity’s and Zaynes relationship developed so slowly... and not for the better? I definitely look forward to starting book two. Hopefully we get a bit more “active” dynamics in the relationship between the two.
Jx

snoopydoo77's review against another edition

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4.0

When I heard that Armentrout is going back into this world I was super excited and I was not disappointed.

Her Dark Elements Series was one of my favorite series of hers, so I had high hopes for this book.

While it certainly helps having read the pervious series, it is definitely not necessary to follow this book and characters.

I really enjoyed Trinity, even though some cards where stacked against her she never let it stop her. But I liked that she didn’t just rely on other people to solve things for her and help her. Though she definitely needed rescuing a few times, but it made sense within the story, mostly. But even if she had her moments she learned from them and fast, she grew with the story and I liked that. She also super funny.

Zayne I knew from the precious series, but there is still so much we learned about him here and he also seemed a bit different, almost calmer and grown up version of him, but still the cocky, funny, charming and loyal Zayne we know … or some of you will get to know him.

We also meet some new people. And of course they fit right in, just as much as the people we see again from previous books, I liked that they helped this story along but don’t take it over.

I also liked that some of the necessary info for world building didn’t seem boring for people who have the other books.

Overall this book had me on the edge of my seat for a big portion of it, it also made me laugh out loud more than a few times, it still felt new and fresh.

That being said I loved the book and it was a 5 star read for me until we got to the last 50 pages or so…… I didn’t want to spoil it so I can’t say too much. But I think she could have done it different and not turned it, into another teen trope the last 50 pages. Maybe I can say more about next book, which I’m sure I will…….but for now I will just leave it at that.

I still enjoyed the book very much and will most definitely be waiting for book two.

I rate it 4 ★

von_rae's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional sad 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? It's complicated

4.25

books_are_my_friends's review against another edition

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adventurous fast-paced

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

5.0

bookgirlangie's review against another edition

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I typically adore JLA and some of my favorite series are by her. But this… is too YA for me. Even though the FMC is 18, it feels more like she’s 16. The other two series I’ve read by her had characters of the same age ranges yet while in their perspectives, it didn’t feel immature and childish. Everyone has moments of that but this was a constant through every page and I couldn’t keep going.

fallingwings's review against another edition

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2.0

I can't. I'm dropping this book here and now (on page 117, Ch 8). I refuse to sit through 504 pages when I've literally discovered who the bad guy is by the second chapter (and yes, I skipped ahead just to make sure); it was THAT obvious. It doesn't help that things drag. I don't mind my slow stories that take a little time to kick off, but this is just...blarg. I guess it doesn't help that it reads like a detective/crime story and I've never been big on those.

Cons:

-So...gargoyles came out and humanity just...accepted them? How is that even remotely realistic? We have humans who can't accept other humans based on the color of their skin or sexual orientation and yet you're telling me besides some church fanatics, everyone just ACCEPTS a new species after a period of shock? Uh huh. Okay. No scientist or government officials wanting to capture them for research. No people lashing out in fear. Nobody batting an eyelash or wondering what the hell Gargoyles are even doing here. This is not believable by any means. I know this author knows better, she did it for Our Darkest Stars. Was it corny and eye roll worthy? Hell yeah. Was it unrealistic? Nope. Why? Because this is how humans act. There is always a divide between those who are with something and those who are against something. It's been a thing among humans since the dawn of time and ignoring it is ridiculous.

-It's horribly easy to figure out who the bad guy is, as early as the second chapter if you pick up on a certain sentence. The second I read it, I knew. Doesn't help that following chapters just keep hand feeding us information to further back it up. Come on. At least TRY to make me question if what I suspect is legit or not. Steer the attention to someone else or create some diversions or...something. Anything. It's like when I watch crime shows and they reveal the baddie within the first three minutes and it just ruins the entire episode.

-The book opens with a make out session that turns into sexual assault and the guy being a typical horny ass who just wanted to get in our MC pants because she's supposedly "the only one who doesn't want to hook up with him" or whatever. This scene was useless beyond showing the MC has some superhuman strength. So many other ways that could have been done.

-Stop teasing us with what our MC is, especially since this is strictly her POV. It's not intriguing, it's irritating. She's not fully human but she's not half warden. She has superhuman abilities (like strength and sensing demons), and can see and communicate with spirits and ghosts. She has no problem reminding us she's half human or that her sight sucks and that her father isn't human. But it's all mystery when it comes to telling us WHAT this other half of her is. There is no point for this. What is she? I don't know and I don't care. Maybe I'll look through the book later to find the answer. I had a hunch that maybe her father was the devil or some shit, but I wouldn't be surprised if she were half demon.

-Insta love based on appearances only. Look, there is nothing wrong with being physically attracted to another person. But I'm waiting for more books where a MC notices physical attraction after they start acquiring feelings and spending time with (future) love interest. I don't see it often and every time it's the first damn thing the MC notices about future love interest, I always roll my eyes and sigh in disappointment. I see some good looking people every day since I work in customer service. Doesn't mean I want to instantly drool over them or jump their bones or feel a "connection".

-I'm confused about MC's vision problem. She's losing her sight and some day she will be completely blind, so why the hell are they even bothering to train her? What's the point if they're all protecting her? So she can go out on some big bad mission appointed by her father in the near future, regardless of whether or not she's blind? Just...what, what is this logic? Also, she can fight, and surprisingly well for her failing eyesight, let her fucking fight. Why are the babying her? Because she's "special" and the "last" of her kind? Oh, hey there trope. How ya been?

-And while we're on the matter of our MC's vision problem, there is something that majorly bothers me. I knew a girl in HS who had the same problem as our heroine here (basically, she had tunnel vision and had no peripheral sight. She was also going blind and would require expensive ass surgery in order to keep from going permanently blind) and you know what she had to use despite still being able to see? A walking cane, that she would slide from side-to-side in front of her on the floor so she wouldn't run into other people or objects she couldn't see when walking. I noticed our dear MC has the same issue but she doesn't use any form of aid. She's always with another person when it happens and they, of course, grab/steer her away from said object at the last second so she doesn't run into it. This girl is eighteen years old, has had vision problems for years, will eventually go blind, and absolutely no one thought it would be a good idea to get her a walking cane??

-So only a few within the wardens know what our MC is, yet they all...protect her, without knowing why? No one ever got curious and asked some questions? Like "why are we protecting this supposedly human girl? Why are we giving our lives for her? Why is she training with our kind?" More logic thrown to the wind.

-Wardens are supposedly super duper strong...and are being killed left and right along with demons. I mean, is this supposed to lay into the "big" mystery that they're being killed (caught off guard) by

Spoiler

one of their own

? Meh. Also, wardens are super duper strong but somehow our half human main character is "stronger" than most since the start of the book. Well, what the hell, why are they protecting her? Shouldn't she be protecting them?

-MC who's all "I shouldn't blab about these things to these strangers aka my love interest" then proceeds to blab about these things to these strangers aka love interest. Numerous times. She literally does this numerous times. But again, this is something she only does with her future love interest. Somehow, she's managed not to blab anything to the wardens she's grown up around. But enter a new hot guy and she gets stupid.

-Logic is thrown to the wind or considered as "weird". For example:

"We were also taught that there's always an Upper Level demon pulling the strings of a lower level one," I reminded her.
She eyed me as she pushed open the kitchen door. I knew what I was saying was weird, but I had weird thoughts when I was confined to the house.

How is that weird? This is legit logic by this world's standards and both of them think it's weird. I don't understand. You know what's weird? The other wardens never asking questions about the MC and the fact humanity just "accepted" the existence of gargoyles. That's weird. Not this. This is logical, this actually makes you THINK, and opens a possible theory to a growing problem. But sure. Whatever. Logic is "weird" and let's not think about it. Return to sticking your pretty heads in the sand.

Pros:

-MC with a disability who can kick some ass and fight despite it.

-The whole idea of gargoyles is interesting and a creature I haven't seen or heard many use for books. It's a breath of fresh air.

-Peanut, the loveable ghost who will never fail to give us the 411.

-And....
-............wait.....
-...just, gimme a minute.....
-.....I'm sure I can find something else....

-........you see this? This was me struggling to read the first eight chapters of this book. And this is why I stopped.

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