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Graphic: Death, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, War
Moderate: Gore, Medical content, Murder, Fire/Fire injury, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Confinement, Cursing, Blood, Death of parent
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, War, Injury/Injury detail
I love all our core characters and many of the side characters, including some of the teachers. It was great that the story didn't shy away from complicated and layered relationships in all domains.
At times I was annoyed with
All in all I really like this 2nd installment, though it could have been a little less dense with a couple more calm scenes focusing simply on characters and relationships. Still great how everything came together. - I left out so much..
Edit: Upon re-reading, I fully stand by my initial review.
Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, War
Moderate: Confinement, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Animal death, Panic attacks/disorders, Fire/Fire injury, Classism
Good choice rereading this before Onyx Storm cause so much happened, it was a good refresh.
Original Review:
I was feeling kind of slumpy while reading this book so it took me forever to get through it. I was enjoying it while reading but it was like I could not process what was happening and I had the attention span of a gnat.
This one felt a little slower than the first one and there were somethings that I didn’t fully grasp and that may be on me and the slump but I did rate it lower because of that, it didn’t feel on par to the excitement of the first book.
Most of the book is spent with Violet and Xaden (and Tairn and Sgaeyl) being apart. Xaden has graduated so he’s officially been assigned somewhere and Violet meanwhile is in her second year at the war college. There’s a new commander guy and he’s a real dick so he orchestrates it so that when they do visit each other the other is busy or away or he punishes Violet so she can’t go on her weekend and it’s just such bullshit! Like I’m surprised the dragons did not revolt! Messing with their mating bond… I really hated being apart, it was torture.
I think it was about halfway through the book we get a change of scenery which was kind of nice. We got to explore a new place and meet new (and old) people but I also missed the familiar setting of Basgaith.
There were quite a few new (and old) people to hate. It was like less death this time around more hate. Also some new people to root for but we gotta wait to get attached like Violet because who knows if they’ll die.
We got a bit more about the venin and wyvern in this one but at the same time I feel like I know less about them. But once again that may be on me and the slump because the things we did learn were at the start of the book and by the time I got to them it’d been like a month. The end really had me wanting to know more and that’s where I got confused about how exactly they come about.
I’m still really excited about this series and to see where it goes next because we did learn some interesting things this book and alliances have shifted so I’m wondering how all that will work.
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Gore, Physical abuse, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️-January 2025
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I had a good time re-reading this book. While it wasn't the greatest, it kept me entertained and engaged.
Graphic: Sexual content, Torture, Violence, War
Moderate: Gore, Grief, Death of parent
Minor: Confinement, Death
Graphic: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, War
Moderate: Sexual content
Moderate: Confinement, Cursing, Death, Gore, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, War, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Confinement, Death, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, War, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Chronic illness, Confinement, Torture, Violence, Grief, Death of parent, Murder
Moderate: Cursing, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Body horror, Confinement, Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Torture, Violence, Blood, Grief, Death of parent, Murder, Gaslighting, War
Moderate: Medical content, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Minor: Toxic relationship