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4.4 AVERAGE
4.4 AVERAGE
adventurous
dark
emotional
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
5đ fucking crazy from start to finish. so emotional, chaotic, action packed and i found it so bingeable despite travelling for two days whilst reading this. this series is so underrated! stuck between wanting it to blow up because it deserves more recognition and wanting to gatekeep it because i love it so much, it's #2 romantasy series for me behind fourth wing. so much happened in such a short space of time in this and i feel like i'm still wrapping my head round it all. trust these books to end on a massive cliffhanger that i have to think about for the next year. this was nearly 1000 pages on kindle but i wasn't bored once and there was no repetition, if anything i wanted more which i think is hard to come by in huge books like this. had so much fun whilst also being traumatised. loren&darien once again are everything to me
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gun violence, Violence, Blood, Murder, War, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
challenging
dark
Itâs been days, and Iâm still trying to wrap my head around the events that unfolded in City of Smoke and Brimstone. Reading the first chapter, I could feel myself take a deep inhale, and even after finishing the epilogue, itâs like I still havenât let that same breath go. There wasnât a single chapter when I could finally catch my breath because I was either screaming, crying, laughing, or having a full-blown heart attack. Iâve never felt such a wide range of emotions in a single book or been shocked by reveals chapter after chapter. Because of how much I love these characters, the lows feel like some of the lowest lows Iâve ever felt, and the same is true for the highs.
Weâre back in Yveswich, and itâs utter chaos. Four books in, and it feels as if death has finally called checkmate. As if lethal creatures running rampant isnât enough, there are people who want the Devils gone. The group can only run for so long before death catches up with them, and it almost feels foolish to have hope that everyone will make it out alive. At this rate, Iâm scared that the characters Iâve grown close to are living on borrowed time. I will bargain myself if it means keeping my Devils safe.
The romantic relationships and the family dynamics are raw and can sometimes be messy, but itâs because there is so much love amongst everyone. The group will do whatever it takes to keep the people they care about safe, even if it means upsetting those people in the moment. Their bonds run deeper than blood, and you wonât find stronger loyalty anywhere else.
Darien, my selfless, protective daredevil, always guarding others at the expense of yourself. Across the series as a whole, itâs never been easy reading his POVs, but there were some really heavy moments in book four that shattered my heart. Kayla does a remarkable job showing Darienâs psyche and how he processes and copes with his emotions. He has always believed itâs his responsibility to keep his family safe, and this would be true even if he wasnât the leader; thatâs just who Darien is. Heâs placed in impossible situations, and with impossible situations, forced to make difficult choices. Because tensions are high and time is running thin, I can't fault him for how he pushes forward.
I have never wanted to reach into a book and hold a character as tightly as I can, more than with Darien. Heâs an absolute badass and can handle anything thrown his way, but Iâm desperate for him to rest. His life has been a series of hurt and destruction, suffering and pain, but I dream of there being light at the end of it all, that he can come face to face with the darkest parts of himself with forgiveness.
Whatâs so beautifully tragic is that underneath the dark and gritty exterior, his choices and his life revolve around Loren. Itâs so intrinsic in the way he moves with her, loves her. I refuse to accept any other ending besides the one where Darien and Loren can grow old together. After the sacrifices each of them has made, they deserve nothing less.
As Iâve recommended this series to others, I always get the response, âIâve been putting them off because of how long they are.â Friends, please do not let this deter you from picking up and starting this series. Itâs packed with action, nail-biting stakes, a complex magic system, an extraordinary found family, and a love story thatâs worth everything there is to give. With every book, after finishing it, I always wished it was even longer. It will be the hardest thing to say goodbye to these characters.
Thank you to Kayla for an e-ARC of this book.
Weâre back in Yveswich, and itâs utter chaos. Four books in, and it feels as if death has finally called checkmate. As if lethal creatures running rampant isnât enough, there are people who want the Devils gone. The group can only run for so long before death catches up with them, and it almost feels foolish to have hope that everyone will make it out alive. At this rate, Iâm scared that the characters Iâve grown close to are living on borrowed time. I will bargain myself if it means keeping my Devils safe.
The romantic relationships and the family dynamics are raw and can sometimes be messy, but itâs because there is so much love amongst everyone. The group will do whatever it takes to keep the people they care about safe, even if it means upsetting those people in the moment. Their bonds run deeper than blood, and you wonât find stronger loyalty anywhere else.
Darien, my selfless, protective daredevil, always guarding others at the expense of yourself. Across the series as a whole, itâs never been easy reading his POVs, but there were some really heavy moments in book four that shattered my heart. Kayla does a remarkable job showing Darienâs psyche and how he processes and copes with his emotions. He has always believed itâs his responsibility to keep his family safe, and this would be true even if he wasnât the leader; thatâs just who Darien is. Heâs placed in impossible situations, and with impossible situations, forced to make difficult choices. Because tensions are high and time is running thin, I can't fault him for how he pushes forward.
I have never wanted to reach into a book and hold a character as tightly as I can, more than with Darien. Heâs an absolute badass and can handle anything thrown his way, but Iâm desperate for him to rest. His life has been a series of hurt and destruction, suffering and pain, but I dream of there being light at the end of it all, that he can come face to face with the darkest parts of himself with forgiveness.
Whatâs so beautifully tragic is that underneath the dark and gritty exterior, his choices and his life revolve around Loren. Itâs so intrinsic in the way he moves with her, loves her. I refuse to accept any other ending besides the one where Darien and Loren can grow old together. After the sacrifices each of them has made, they deserve nothing less.
As Iâve recommended this series to others, I always get the response, âIâve been putting them off because of how long they are.â Friends, please do not let this deter you from picking up and starting this series. Itâs packed with action, nail-biting stakes, a complex magic system, an extraordinary found family, and a love story thatâs worth everything there is to give. With every book, after finishing it, I always wished it was even longer. It will be the hardest thing to say goodbye to these characters.
Thank you to Kayla for an e-ARC of this book.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
âLove is a powerful force that always triumphs, no matter how dark the road.â
This series just keeps getting better with every bookâmore action, more emotion, and even higher stakes. Iâm completely hooked!!
After the events of the last book, the group is split up, and I really appreciated the multiple POVs this time around.
It helped me stay connected to each characterâs journey as they fought to survive and find their way back to one another.
It was really heartwarming to see how much love this big, chaotic group has for each otherâand how far theyâre willing to go to protect one another.
Despite the seriousness of the situation, I also loved the occasional humor from their familiars and their antics, which livened up the storyâespecially Bandit!
The romance ? You wonât be disappointed! Itâs still just as hot, spicy, sweet, and tender as ever!
Loren and Darien continue to be the power couple I canât get enough of, and I absolutely loved watching Roman and Shay struggle to express their true feelingsâit was all so delightful.
I adore them all and Iâm seriously rooting for their happiness, even with danger constantly around the corner.
âYouâre my whole world. I love you more than I can put into words, but Iâm trying to express my self properly, but gods, itâs hard.
No words are good enough to adequately express how much I feel for you.â
The ending had me feeling it allâon edge, full of questions, but still holding onto hope.
But their fight isnât over yetâa massive threat is still looming, and itâs going to take everything theyâve got (and then some) to save their home.
The writing style makes it so easy to fall into the story. I find myself constantly wanting to dive back into this world, always wishing I had the next book in my hands already. I canât wait to see what the author has planned next!!
I received a review copy from the author, and I am leaving this review voluntarily!
â ď¸ đđ: violence, brutal injuries, graphic language, discussion of domestic violence, substance use disorder, drug dependence, and symptoms of withdrawal, death, gore, suicidal ideation, psychological torture, sexual content on page.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content, Violence
Moderate: Death, Drug use, Gore, Blood
Minor: Domestic abuse
My praise for Kayla Edwards, feel free to skip to my actual book review lol;
Firstly, Kaylaâs writing gets better each and every book, and CoGaM is one of my infinity reads so that alone should tell you how amazing City of Smoke and Brimstone is.
This book felt like walking into an entirely new world with how much action is happening, the twists and secrets that we learn, I yet again have 9,000 questions that need answered, and I think this again shows how much love Kayla puts into her books. Nothing felt repetitive, everything felt new while following the same plot.
I was on the edge of my seat holding my breath, for about 80% of this book. I cried, I laughed, we get to see so much more of the other characters and it truly balances out the entire book.
I LOVED that we finally get to see Loren turning into more of a badass, donât get me wrong I love a soft FMC and I think sheâs going to end up being the perfect balance. This book was her love letter to Darien and really showed how much and how far sheâs willing to go for him.
Darien as usual is perfection, the last 10% of the book showcases who he is for his family and Loren, just when I didnât think I could love him more.
This book touches on found family, adoptive family, addiction, miscommunication (but done properly), forgiveness, and so much more.
Like city of lies and legends we get a lot of POVs, everyone is separated so it feels like we get multiple books all in one. I think this book really set up the tragedies that will take place in book 5 especially with that ending! Itâs going to be emotional. But donât get me wrong a LOT happens in this book.
Obviously if youâve made it this far you can tell i love this book, itâs an infinity star read, and Iâm so grateful to Kayla Edwards for letting me on her arc team again!
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
<b> Love Must Always Win
"What does it mean?" she asked him.
"It's a reminder. To choose love, kindness. To never lose sight of the things that matter. And that love is a powerful force that always triumphs, no matter how dark the road."</b>
All the stars for this one! So good. Wow, did I finish this book, or did this book finish me?!?
I won't give away too much of the plot, as this is well into the story by now. City of Smoke and Brimstone picks up right where we left off in book 3. The Veil has been opened in Yveswich, and the Devils are trapped, fighting to get out before the city is sealed off. Loren and Darien must escape back to Angelthene before the Veil falls. Meanwhile, Roman is hoping to get his brothers out of Yveswich before his father finds them. And with the Veil growing and new threats popping up, time is a luxury these immortals may no longer have. There are forces out of their control, and the Devils must find a way to face it together.
I adore this book. But let me tell you - it is a non-stop ride!! There is a ton of action, and so many moving pieces that I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. I don't think I even took a breath for the first chunk of the book, as I was desperately waiting to find out the fate of a favorite character. Yveswich is in chaos, and our characters are stuck in the middle of it all. We have multiple POV's in this book, and our characters are split up as they are trying to escape Yveswich and get back to Angelthene. There is a lot going on, with old enemies, new mysteries, and of course, so much love. This is an absolute favorite series of mine, and this book further helps solidify it as one of the best, top-tier urban fantasy series out there. It is a chunky book, but it is faced paced and the switching POVs keeps it interesting. I was totally immersed the whole time I was reading, and didn't want it to end.
Thank you, thank you, thank you so much to Kayla Edwards for the advanced copy of this incredible book. All options are my own.
"What does it mean?" she asked him.
"It's a reminder. To choose love, kindness. To never lose sight of the things that matter. And that love is a powerful force that always triumphs, no matter how dark the road."</b>
All the stars for this one! So good. Wow, did I finish this book, or did this book finish me?!?
I won't give away too much of the plot, as this is well into the story by now. City of Smoke and Brimstone picks up right where we left off in book 3. The Veil has been opened in Yveswich, and the Devils are trapped, fighting to get out before the city is sealed off. Loren and Darien must escape back to Angelthene before the Veil falls. Meanwhile, Roman is hoping to get his brothers out of Yveswich before his father finds them. And with the Veil growing and new threats popping up, time is a luxury these immortals may no longer have. There are forces out of their control, and the Devils must find a way to face it together.
I adore this book. But let me tell you - it is a non-stop ride!! There is a ton of action, and so many moving pieces that I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. I don't think I even took a breath for the first chunk of the book, as I was desperately waiting to find out the fate of a favorite character. Yveswich is in chaos, and our characters are stuck in the middle of it all. We have multiple POV's in this book, and our characters are split up as they are trying to escape Yveswich and get back to Angelthene. There is a lot going on, with old enemies, new mysteries, and of course, so much love. This is an absolute favorite series of mine, and this book further helps solidify it as one of the best, top-tier urban fantasy series out there. It is a chunky book, but it is faced paced and the switching POVs keeps it interesting. I was totally immersed the whole time I was reading, and didn't want it to end.
Thank you, thank you, thank you so much to Kayla Edwards for the advanced copy of this incredible book. All options are my own.
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
tense
fast-paced
I've had the good fortune of being one of the few to actually receive an ARC of this book. It took me three days to finish it and every second of stress and worry for the fate of the Devils was worth it.
City of Smoke and Brimstone was perhaps the most 'high stakes' book in the series. Your favourites were split into groups and didn't know whether the others were alive or not, had me wanting to pull my hair out.
If it wasn't clear to readers before, it will become clear in this book that none of them, NONE OF THEM would survive without Tanner. He may not have the combat experience, that the other Devils do, but the man is a genius and is necessary for all of their survival.
Darien and Loren - The way this man loves his woman to the point of tying his life to hers.. it was emotional. I was infuriated upon finding out what he did to get Singer back and the extent to which he went.. but I also understand it. But please that cannot be how it ends for him. For them both.
Ivy and Jack - I'm glad we get a bit more insight into their relationship. To see Jack so broken without Ivy, to see him become a shell of himself while her fate was unknown.. man, I felt for him.
Travis and Jewels - They're too cute. Kayla did an amazing job of portraying a budding relationship at a time of so much pain, confusion and turmoil. They didn't have a moments rest since they started hanging out.. but they still found a way to make it work.
Max and Dallas - love them. They grew stronger as a couple and as individuals. Max is a good leader and while his fight with Darien made me uncomfortable, I'm glad Max knew that Darien wouldn't really do what he said he'd do. They're brother. Family. They always will be. And Dallas deciding to take her life into her hands, amazing. So happy for her!
Tanner Atlas - the man he is. I love him. He's my man, he always will be.
Malakai Delaney needs to grow up. The entire book had me wanting to knee him in the balls.
I may come back to edit this review in the next few days. These are just my immediate thoughts.
Overall, loved it, loved reading it.
Highly recommend to everyone!
City of Smoke and Brimstone was perhaps the most 'high stakes' book in the series. Your favourites were split into groups and didn't know whether the others were alive or not, had me wanting to pull my hair out.
If it wasn't clear to readers before, it will become clear in this book that none of them, NONE OF THEM would survive without Tanner. He may not have the combat experience, that the other Devils do, but the man is a genius and is necessary for all of their survival.
Darien and Loren - The way this man loves his woman to the point of tying his life to hers.. it was emotional. I was infuriated upon finding out what he did to get Singer back and the extent to which he went.. but I also understand it. But please that cannot be how it ends for him. For them both.
Ivy and Jack - I'm glad we get a bit more insight into their relationship. To see Jack so broken without Ivy, to see him become a shell of himself while her fate was unknown.. man, I felt for him.
Travis and Jewels - They're too cute. Kayla did an amazing job of portraying a budding relationship at a time of so much pain, confusion and turmoil. They didn't have a moments rest since they started hanging out.. but they still found a way to make it work.
Max and Dallas - love them. They grew stronger as a couple and as individuals. Max is a good leader and while his fight with Darien made me uncomfortable, I'm glad Max knew that Darien wouldn't really do what he said he'd do. They're brother. Family. They always will be. And Dallas deciding to take her life into her hands, amazing. So happy for her!
Tanner Atlas - the man he is. I love him. He's my man, he always will be.
Malakai Delaney needs to grow up. The entire book had me wanting to knee him in the balls.
I may come back to edit this review in the next few days. These are just my immediate thoughts.
Overall, loved it, loved reading it.
Highly recommend to everyone!
adventurous
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
How does Kayla keep outdoing herself???? This book was amazing from start to finish. The romance,the pacing,the world buildingâŚ.everything keeps getting better and better and the stakes keep getting higher.
I did not have one second of peace from the moment I started this book. Why was my heart dropping to my stomach at the end of every chapter???? Just when you think these characters will catch a break something crazy happens like can they breathe Kayla????đ
Speaking of the characters , Iâm so in love with all of them. Theyâre so perfectly imperfect and itâs literally found family at its best.
Loren and Darien as usual shine. Their love for each other is everything Iâm so obsessed with them. Iâm loving Roman and Shay too theyâre so stubborn theyâre perfect for each other. I love how theyâll do anything to protect my baby PaxtonđĽš
This series is literally a 5 star series like every book is 5 stars for me. Thatâs insane when you think about it but Kaylaâs writing, the characters,the world she has createdâŚ..itâs just amazing.
I cannot wait for book 5 even though I know Iâll be traumatized. Canât wait to willingly put myself through heartache again
And now Iâm going to go re-read my favorite parts of book one cause I miss them already đĽšâ¤ď¸
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
This book had me on the edge of my seat the entire time. At no point was I not stressed. I once again (like all the other books in the series) could not put it down. Getting so sucked into a world an author has created that I cannot stop reading (sleep? Who is she?) and forget my current world, is my biggest factor in five star ratings. Kaylaâs writing does this immediately. I was so happy to be back with my favorite Devils.
This is another multi point of view story following a large number of characters, but you never once feel overwhelmed. Kayla has done such a fantastic job introducing characters throughout this series that youâre equally happy (and stressed) to be in each POV. The pacing in this book is once again incredible- you donât feel like youâre getting whiplash following so many POVs with the absolute chaos that ensues. It is non stop action. Thereâs moments that make you gasp, cry, scream, and laugh. I will warn you this one is STRESSFUL. I really could go on for days about all the relationships in this series. Kayla has a unique ability to get you very attached to every character she writes (minus her villains - evil, evil people), which I think is hard to do. I always love getting new interactions between characters that normally wouldnât interact much.
Kaylaâs dialogue, as always, is so witty and fun. I was snorting laughing while also being on the verge of my heart exploding from stress. I love how she has the perfect amount of humor sprinkled in, even when shit is hitting the fan. I was thrilled to see more vulnerability from certain characters in this one that I wasnât expecting - I really loved getting to know them more. Kayla writes such fantastic action scenes with truly, bad ass moments for her characters. You cannot help but cheer for them and be in awe of what they accomplished, especially when theyâre in such high stake, stressful moments. The end of the book was so very stressful, but there are SO many incredible scenes. The found family expands in this one and there are so many beautiful moments between characters. Itâs really a perfect balance of action and emotion. I always love meeting new familiars along the way, and I love being in this world so much. The best urban fantasy series Iâve picked up. I cannot wait until book five!