Reviews

Saffron Wilds by Kai Butler

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scarletcat13's review against another edition

5.0

That ending destroyed me, I keep thinking about how terrible Parker is feeling/will be feeling.
Since that's the only thing my brain can think of, I don't know how I'm going to function until June.
...poor Parker.

teresab78's review against another edition

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5.0

First off, I want to say I love this series, these characters, and this world. However, I am sobbing right now over the ending. If you hate cliffhangers as much as me, you might want to wait until book 6 is out before reading this (you should totally buy it now, but wait to read!) I know Kai Butler will deliver a HEA, but I feel like the rug was pulled out from under me right at when I was trusting everything was good for the moment.

In this book there are mysteries to solve and danger to survive. People who aren’t what you think, for both good and evil. There are moments of pure love, trust, and happiness that I cherished, and moments of fear, betrayal, and uncertainty that had me on the edge of my seat. It was an amazing book but I wished for it to have ended 5 paragraphs sooner. I can’t take the wait until book 6 (the final in the series) is out.

write_of_passages's review against another edition

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4.0

My favorite of the whole series so far. We’ve finally circled around back to Prince Talon and I was so excited to spend time with his character, such as it was. Everything is really ramping up in this book and you can feel that it’s the beginning of the end. While I had no problem guessing all of the plot twists, I had so much fun seeing exactly how those reveals would play out and wasn’t disappointed. This book has also, in my opinion, had the greatest cliffhanger with a final reveal. Even though I knew it was coming, ouch, my heart. Highest intensity of all the books so far as well.

Would I go back in time and still read this book, knowing what I know now?
Absolutely. So worth it.

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

CHARACTERS: I just adore Parker and Nick’s relationship and how it keeps growing throughout this series. Not only growing, but that they both refuse to not find time to be together in a way that is wholly special to them and their circumstances. This book also has, in my opinion, the most moments where the events of the plot are out of the character’s control, which is offering a really excellent chance for growth for them, especially into the final book. I truly enjoyed being able to spend more time with Prince Talon and the setting in this one was also pretty fascinating too.

PLOT: Very action-packed. The intensity and pacing has ramped up for this penultimate book and it shows. There are some truly epic moments in this one, in every pot that Parker ends up having his fingers in. And to see how everything is spiraling out of control by the end of this one is both painful and exhilarating to read.

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 out of 5, high. Highest of all the books so far, in my opinion. The scale of the conflict, but also how personally so many things are hitting home, had me definitely feeling a little ‘in need of a therapy session’ when this book ended. I’m currently slightly afraid to finish out the series!

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 mean, with what has been left hanging, it makes sense. Also exactly how some things were left hanging in the cliffhanger. And finally, the once-again (yes broken record) belief that I wish there were more lasting effects of such epic battles on the main characters. That being said, it’s clearest in this book why that isn’t the case. But ouch, the cliffhanger.