A review by blurrypetals
Dreams of Gods & Monsters by Laini Taylor

3.0

So this is definitely better than its predecessors. The structuring was still wonky but way way better than the other two as well. I found myself wishing very much at certain times that this had been Eliza Jones's story. I also wish a lot of other things had been different. I wanted to know about the magic behind the wishes, how Brimstone was able to make them, why they were connected to a resurrectionist. I do know that they were used as a way to influence Brimstone's collectors, but past that why did they exist? Was it a magic exclusive to chimera, to resurrectionists? WHAT ARE THE WISHES ABOUT GODDAMN IT

I liked Liraz and Ziri a lot. That was a fun relationship, showing that not just Akiva could fall in love with a chimera. There were a couple twists I enjoyed seeing enfold. It was nice not knowing their plan for Jael until it was in motion. It was okay. I wish these books were better, I really do. But they're not. I'm glad I read (listened to) them at least once so I could bail off the hype train in a blaze of glory because this particular train is a mess. It had a lot of great ingredients but from start to finish, book one to book three, Laini Taylor just took those ingredients, didn't properly mix them, and ended up with a sloppy mess that was ALMOST good but not quite there.

Sayonara, Daughter of Smoke and Bone. Can't say I'll be missing you.