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3.89 AVERAGE
3.89 AVERAGE
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
tense
medium-paced
What’s not to like?!
Custard? Good.
Jam? Gooood.
Meat? GOOOOOD.
Custard? Good.
Jam? Gooood.
Meat? GOOOOOD.
emotional
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Pretty average romance plot and chemistry. By no means bad at all. I’m excited to see these characters again in the thezemarr series. Malik continues to be my king. How did bro even know about the wedding? Still pulled up.
I enjoyed this read, but I mostly picked it up to get more background on Talemir before finishing Legends of Thezmarr. On its own, I probably would’ve rated it closer to a 2.75 or 3 than the 3.5 I ended up giving it. That said, I’m glad I read it. The pacing was solid, and I never felt bored. Even the slower moments felt intentional, contributing to character or relationship development. Seeing Naarva through a native’s eyes added depth to the lore, and Talemir’s character especially stood out for me. I loved getting his perspective, especially after seeing him only through Wilder’s eyes. His damaged-hero arc hit harder because I had that context, and it definitely got me more excited for Shadows & Storms after the way Fates & Furies ended.
What didn’t work for me was Drue and the romance. I didn’t hate it, but I couldn’t get invested in their relationship, and that disconnect pulled me out of the story. Drue felt frustrating—rigid in her beliefs for most of the book, only to do a complete 180 without much development. After treating Talemir harshly based on her own ignorance, her sudden shift to wanting to care for him felt unearned.
Overall, I wouldn’t recommend this as a standalone, but if you’re reading Legends of Thezmarr, it’s worth it for the added insight into Talemir. I’m glad I read it for the sake of understanding Wilder and Thea’s story more fully, but I’ll revisit whether it feels truly necessary once I’ve finished Shadows & Storms.
**update after reading Shadow & Storms**
I don't feel like this was necessary to read for the Legends of Thezmarr series; however, I think if you're looking for a bit more emotional impact from the series as a whole, this book was easy and quick enough to read, in my opinion, that it could be worth it—especially for the added insight into the lore. But if you want to skip it, it wouldn't harm your understanding or overall enjoyment of the Legends of Thezmarr series. But again, this is just my opinion; I know a lot of my book friends really enjoyed reading this alongside the four-book series, especially before reading the final book, Shadow & Storms.
What didn’t work for me was Drue and the romance. I didn’t hate it, but I couldn’t get invested in their relationship, and that disconnect pulled me out of the story. Drue felt frustrating—rigid in her beliefs for most of the book, only to do a complete 180 without much development. After treating Talemir harshly based on her own ignorance, her sudden shift to wanting to care for him felt unearned.
Overall, I wouldn’t recommend this as a standalone, but if you’re reading Legends of Thezmarr, it’s worth it for the added insight into Talemir. I’m glad I read it for the sake of understanding Wilder and Thea’s story more fully, but I’ll revisit whether it feels truly necessary once I’ve finished Shadows & Storms.
**update after reading Shadow & Storms**
I don't feel like this was necessary to read for the Legends of Thezmarr series; however, I think if you're looking for a bit more emotional impact from the series as a whole, this book was easy and quick enough to read, in my opinion, that it could be worth it—especially for the added insight into the lore. But if you want to skip it, it wouldn't harm your understanding or overall enjoyment of the Legends of Thezmarr series. But again, this is just my opinion; I know a lot of my book friends really enjoyed reading this alongside the four-book series, especially before reading the final book, Shadow & Storms.
adventurous
challenging
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
I knew I liked Drue and Tal I love that he was the most fearsome and sensitive at the same time. A Truly endearing back story for him, Drue, and young Wilder.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
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:
Complicated