clairebartholomew549's review against another edition

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dark emotional sad tense 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

4.0

This book is pretty depressing for the first third or half, and kind of a slog. I appreciate that Armentrout isn't afraid to depict the psychological and physical abuse Kolis puts Sera through, and the effect it has on her, but it doesn't make for the most fun reading, and I missed Ash's and Sera's dynamic a lot (although the dream scenes were definitely a good salve). Everything Sera learns is interesting, though, and her slow realization of her own power and will is captivating. The back half or third of the book picks up a lot, and once Ash was back in the picture I basically breathed a sigh of relief lol. It's obviously inevitable that somehow some way he'll love her, and yet the journey to get there was lovely. 

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ka_ke's review against another edition

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challenging emotional slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? No
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0


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zg0612's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional informative 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? No

3.75

This book was really good, besides the times when i had figured stuff out before the characters had,
like the whole Star Diamond being in her cage the whole time. That was obvious since day 1.
But i liked how we got to see more of Kolis’s personality and why is the way he is. I now LOVE Rhain. He’s my bff now. Elias is totally gay. I’m just going to call that rn.
And what on earth is giving on w Attes and Lilah??
Attes is the best btw. And i love how he doesn’t give a fuck abt how people interpret him. And his sarcasm?! Chef’s kiss. He’s Awesome. 
And i love Ash FINALYY saying ily 🥰🥰.

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kaydie96's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional 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

5.0


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maxinesf's review against another edition

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adventurous dark 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? No

4.0


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apender's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark 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

4.75

I love these books. This one does get a little darker than the others in the series. There was a lot of the book spent with
Sera and Kolis which I was hoping we would've gotten a resolve but really didn't. Maybe next book
That last few chapters though how could you not love Ash even more. 

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brysonchristina1's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional 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

3.0

I absolutely loved the first two books, so much so that I reread them immediately, but this one didn't hit the same.

The first half of the book could have easily been half the length. And it was frustrating that all the romance was shoved into the last 5 chapters or so. I was bored through a lot of this book. Not much happened and I'm not left with wanting for the next book. 

I'm also under the impression that JLA makes up the plot as she goes. This book, especially, has so many contradictions to the earlier books and even the FBAA timeline. The surprise at the end,
that Ash only recently had his kardia removed
, didn't feel believable. I didn't get that "oh duh I should have seen that coming" feeling that I get when reading other fantasy plot twists.

I DNF'd the third FBAA book, and I have the feeling I'll DNF this series too. 

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midnacine's review against another edition

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adventurous dark emotional tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? It's complicated
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I want my own Shadow Daddy :/

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cryosphinx's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional slow-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

A let down after how much I enjoyed ALITF. It was just very slow, and a bit repetative. And I love Sera and Nyktos and while I didn't think the they'd immediately find their way back to one another quickly, most of the book they're apart. But once they're back, hoooo boy.

Most of my reading journal notes involve Kolis and
JLA does an amazingly good job at making him extremely unlikable. I think that's the point so good job.
It gets triggering or at the very least uncomfy at times so don't go into this lightly.

I'm thankful that there will be another book since the connection between FBAA and FAF hasn't fully hit home yet, but this definitely could have been edited down. I didn't have a bad time reading it and did thoroughly enjoy parts, especially Sera being her bad ass self, but it was almost a filler book.

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amidisaster's review against another edition

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dark emotional tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? It's complicated
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

the series could have ended here and I'd be happy with the character developments and plot resolutions.<Spoiler> JLA has one final book for this series coming out may 7, 2024. It's nice to know that's there's a release date already planned so fans don't have to wait ad infinitum for the resolution of the series 

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