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4.23 AVERAGE
4.23 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 4.7 but rounded down out of frustration. Overall I did love the book and was hooked for every page and I like where the story is going. I think this series is better than the darkness series which I also really liked, but this one is less predictable and even darker which I love. Even as I question all of the below with the spoilers, I love when a book series sucks me in so much that I feel the need to think about it to this degree. Books like this remind me why I love reading.
*spoilers below*
*spoilers below*
First things first I unexpectedly really liked the ~situation~ with Theon and Luka WHEW OK I’m sold on it.
While I loved the book, I continued to be absolutely baffled by characters making choices that made no sense if they’re supposed to be so cunning and using any kind of critical thinking skills, primarily Tessa, even if she’s going a little mad with all the visions and prophecy placed upon her.
I am hoping that some of her supposed plans with keeping Valter alive and helping Eviana escape will help make her choices in this book make more sense. Those things have not been explained but they didn’t baffle me like her other choices did. I wasn’t even confused about her hiding knowing about Xan from Luka - that fit right in with her inability to trust and her desire to hoard secrets established in the previous books.
While I loved the book, I continued to be absolutely baffled by characters making choices that made no sense if they’re supposed to be so cunning and using any kind of critical thinking skills, primarily Tessa, even if she’s going a little mad with all the visions and prophecy placed upon her.
I am hoping that some of her supposed plans with keeping Valter alive and helping Eviana escape will help make her choices in this book make more sense. Those things have not been explained but they didn’t baffle me like her other choices did. I wasn’t even confused about her hiding knowing about Xan from Luka - that fit right in with her inability to trust and her desire to hoard secrets established in the previous books.
The baffling parts?? —
Why does Tessa continue to believe Achaz’s side of the story to be true regarding her purpose even when she even immediately questions to Achaz’s face when they speak in the mirror about how he broke the same agreements between the gods after arius and serafina did, and how killing the arius line would still be tipping the balance in a worse way? Why would she be ok with him saying it’s not her place to know his plans to supposedly re-right the balance if she kills everyone of the arius line? Why would she continue to accept this supposed purpose without considering what might be true vs bias or manipulation, and why does she not try to question more of what may be changed in her visions when they are suspicious and basically confirm the visions are being altered by a sorceress? -who by the way immediately was obvious to most likely be Elowyn under Rordan’s orders and especially likely using that damn tea she continues to drink? And then basically confirmed when Luka said Elowyn was the woman he kept seeing in Tessa’s visions who kept kicking him out. Why is her only issue with the tea that it makes the visions more vivid and makes her sleep restless, and not that the tea could be helping Elowyn alter these visions while KNOWING someone may be interfering and changing them? Why does she not even try to use that mirror below the pantheon to contact anyone else, like on her Arius side? Or Scarlett? Why does she continue to go back to Faven when Rordan threatens her so called freedoms there the minute she stops blindly following his orders? When she very obviously no longer trusts Dex and Oralia or wants them anywhere near her? Even if she believes her “purpose” to kill the arius line, where is her fight that she had in the previous books about those same issues she had in Arius kingdom trying to control her? Why the FUCK would she go back to Faven after mother Cordelia and Cressida tricked her by the river to call the hunters and they proved Auryon was right that the hunters would not continue to obey her orders once they got what they wanted from her? After they killed Auryon and she was so upset? Just because Luka threw her out and she has no obvious home it made no sense to go right back to Faven as the immediate next choice, knowing Cressida was working with Rordan to manipulate and control her. Why be fine with them immediately trying to cage her with the bands when she gets back after they manipulated her and Rordan got exactly what he wanted with her finally starting to fulfill her “purpose” and cause all those Arius deaths? And then she’s shocked Dex also put the ring on as soon as the bands are on?? Why continue to side with Achaz knowing her own Arius blood and not even try thinking about listening to what Auryon has said all along about this so called purpose of hers not being what Achaz says it is after she dies fighting for Tessa? She does not consider listening to the side that sent her Auryon and especially her wolves? She was angry with Tristyn and Auryon for their lies about who they were and knowing her heritage yet she does not hold Rordan to the same standard when she admits she does not trust him either and knows he keeps secrets from her too, and aside from tightening her leash he outright tries to force her into a match contract (which apparently at the end was successful, though it was after she was in the bands so who knows if that blood was given willingly). Even after she has the vision of Achaz turning on her too, trying to kill her after she fulfills that “purpose” and admits he was never going to take her to their home world to meet her mother.. Even in the cave after everything with Luka she admits she still believes it’s her purpose to kill off the Arius line.
it just is so blindly irrational I can’t wrap my head around the hypocrisy of the standards for treatment she has for the arius gang vs achaz gang. it just makes absolutely no sense to me and doesn’t fit the character built in the first two books who hated anyone lying and trying to control her.
At the end of the previous book it was all about how she had constantly been listening and watching and cunningly figuring things out but seems to me it’s completely the opposite in this book. She fully allowed herself to be manipulated and controlled by the Achaz side and convinced of their argument for what her purpose was and never used her brain again as more information continued to become available to her.
it just is so blindly irrational I can’t wrap my head around the hypocrisy of the standards for treatment she has for the arius gang vs achaz gang. it just makes absolutely no sense to me and doesn’t fit the character built in the first two books who hated anyone lying and trying to control her.
At the end of the previous book it was all about how she had constantly been listening and watching and cunningly figuring things out but seems to me it’s completely the opposite in this book. She fully allowed herself to be manipulated and controlled by the Achaz side and convinced of their argument for what her purpose was and never used her brain again as more information continued to become available to her.
While I’m at it, why would Axel think going back to Bree in the underground would be the best place for his transition after he just spent weeks being tortured by her people for him to agree to something he still knew he didn’t want, which he admitted when Bree immediately brings it up at that dinner when he gets back and told her he’d have to figure things out still.. why wouldn’t he instead want someone he trusted like theon or luka to even try helping both him and to protect Kat all together before going right back to the person who was happy to betray him for her own benefit just days ago? And knowing that Bree even said at that dinner his first and only night back with her that it was good Kat was (believed) dead so she wouldn’t be a distraction for axel going forward, and very obviously would likely use her to threaten and try to control him and coerce him into agreeing to pledge to her coven and fight in her battle for dominance when she discovers kat is still alive…. why then would he go back to the underground still again after retrieving Kat and put her right under Bree’s nose, much easier to find and harm?? I know he tried to go to Tessa first but really, the underground so close to Bree’s domain was option #2? If you can’t tell, my eyes are rolling out of my head.
Side note on Alex and Kat though, I was hoping there would be something about axel still finding the offered part of Kat’s soul since it has been mentioned multiple times that without a companion mark there are other beings that can find that and take it (night children perhaps?) but that didn’t happen. Their lost twin flame bond is just so tragic to me but their marriage and public display of her pregnancy after the confrontation with Bree did give me some hope for them.
Anyway despite all this ranting about baffling character choices I still did love the book lmao I am entirely hooked and am dying to know where things will go.
The editing still has a few minor issues but each book has improved in that regard at least with this book having the least mistakes of the 8 I’ve read so far from this author now in the darkness & legacy series
Side note on Alex and Kat though, I was hoping there would be something about axel still finding the offered part of Kat’s soul since it has been mentioned multiple times that without a companion mark there are other beings that can find that and take it (night children perhaps?) but that didn’t happen. Their lost twin flame bond is just so tragic to me but their marriage and public display of her pregnancy after the confrontation with Bree did give me some hope for them.
Anyway despite all this ranting about baffling character choices I still did love the book lmao I am entirely hooked and am dying to know where things will go.
The editing still has a few minor issues but each book has improved in that regard at least with this book having the least mistakes of the 8 I’ve read so far from this author now in the darkness & legacy series
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was a struggle for me, some parts were great but for alot of Tessas POV she was insufferable with no character development across 3 books.
Will I still read book 4 to round out the series? Yes but will need to mentally build up to it.
More of Axel and Kat please!
Will I still read book 4 to round out the series? Yes but will need to mentally build up to it.
More of Axel and Kat please!
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
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:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
tense
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
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:
Yes
I loved the story of this book. LUKA MORS THE MAN YOU ARE. A theon redemption…? Axel and Kat have my heart. Tessa… i don’t know where to start she is the only reason i couldn’t rate this book higher i have never found myself wanting the FMCs chapters to end so much she was awful to read about. I know she’s messed up but honestly she was insufferable the entire time im hoping the next book will be her redemption or at least make her make more likeable.
adventurous
challenging
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