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my8ltters's Reviews (211)
This book absolutely wrecked me. I think this is my favorite book in the series and, honestly, my favorite read of the year. It’s also the first series where I’ve given every single book 5 stars. Though, I did have to take a break halfway through because it was just... so much. This book is the definition of stress fantasy.
Helene completely broke me. Watching her lose everything, but still not giving up on fighting for the empire. And Harper?? The two of them had me in tears. I’m literally gonna start crying again just writing this.
And the way everything wrapped up between Elias and Laia? Perfect. It was such a satisfying and bittersweet end to their story and the overall conflict. I couldn't have asked for a better conclusion. The whole ending part/chapters had my on hooked. I read the second half of the book in one sitting and I kept getting shocked and had my jaw dropped the whole time.
This series honestly means so much to me now...it’s climbed straight to the top of my all-time favorites list. And Sabaa Tahir, you're instantly added to my favorite authors. I’ll definitely be thinking about these characters for a long, long time. T^T
Helene completely broke me. Watching her lose everything, but still not giving up on fighting for the empire. And Harper?? The two of them had me in tears. I’m literally gonna start crying again just writing this.
And the way everything wrapped up between Elias and Laia? Perfect. It was such a satisfying and bittersweet end to their story and the overall conflict. I couldn't have asked for a better conclusion. The whole ending part/chapters had my on hooked. I read the second half of the book in one sitting and I kept getting shocked and had my jaw dropped the whole time.
This series honestly means so much to me now...it’s climbed straight to the top of my all-time favorites list. And Sabaa Tahir, you're instantly added to my favorite authors. I’ll definitely be thinking about these characters for a long, long time. T^T
I honestly loved this book way more than I expected... And I don't get why Diem was so hated by many people. Like be real. Her character felt complex, and I actually liked how messy and confused she was at times. She’s literally trying to figure out her own identity while being manipulated and used by the Guardians?? Her actions made total sense to me. but Henri? Yeah, I cannot stand him. Every time he showed up I was like please leave.
Luther and Diem's dynamic did have me hooked right from their first encounter. The tension, the slowburn, the trust slowly building...ugh I need more of them in the next book ASAP. Also, Lilian and Teller were so cute and lowkey gave the story some lightness that balanced everything out. (but I do sense there will be some kind of sad drama plot going on between their family and the Mortals vs Descended conflict T^T later on).
The writing was super easy to follow, which I loved, and the worldbuilding didn’t feel overly complicated or overwhelming. And while the political conflict was more of a side plot here, I can tell it's going to get a lot more intense in book two, and I’m so ready for it.
Luther and Diem's dynamic did have me hooked right from their first encounter. The tension, the slowburn, the trust slowly building...ugh I need more of them in the next book ASAP. Also, Lilian and Teller were so cute and lowkey gave the story some lightness that balanced everything out. (but I do sense there will be some kind of sad drama plot going on between their family and the Mortals vs Descended conflict T^T later on).
The writing was super easy to follow, which I loved, and the worldbuilding didn’t feel overly complicated or overwhelming. And while the political conflict was more of a side plot here, I can tell it's going to get a lot more intense in book two, and I’m so ready for it.
Okay so yes, I knew this was a novella going in but if only it was longern T^T There’s so much potential in the worldbuilding and political setup, and while I liked what we got, I also felt like it didn’t have enough time to really go deep. The vibes were great, but I kind of wanted more of everything.
Lady Sookhee was my favorite in this story. Even though I kinda saw the twist coming. I LIVE for her connection with Yeva. They had that quiet, tense dynamic that made every interaction feel meaningful. I just wish we got more time with them together!
Now now...I want to talk about Emory as well. He is the side character who is Yeva's supportive bestfriend (a cousin too). I loved how he kept his words about not wanting to be like his father and wanting to be a better leader because he truly did it. He's very supportive of Yeva and makes reasonable choices at the end.
However, the ending of this novella didn't hit hard as I had hoped. It wrapped up a bit too fast, and I just wanted more emotional ending. It felt somewhat easy for all the tension that built up. Still, the writing was really pretty and easy to get into. Super atmospheric in that quiet, lyrical way. Overall, I really enjoyed this one. It had strong characters, good vibes!
Lady Sookhee was my favorite in this story. Even though I kinda saw the twist coming. I LIVE for her connection with Yeva. They had that quiet, tense dynamic that made every interaction feel meaningful. I just wish we got more time with them together!
Now now...I want to talk about Emory as well. He is the side character who is Yeva's supportive bestfriend (a cousin too). I loved how he kept his words about not wanting to be like his father and wanting to be a better leader because he truly did it. He's very supportive of Yeva and makes reasonable choices at the end.
However, the ending of this novella didn't hit hard as I had hoped. It wrapped up a bit too fast, and I just wanted more emotional ending. It felt somewhat easy for all the tension that built up. Still, the writing was really pretty and easy to get into. Super atmospheric in that quiet, lyrical way. Overall, I really enjoyed this one. It had strong characters, good vibes!
This book was literally perfect. No complaints AT ALL, just pure emotional destruction.
The characters are written so well, and the emotional depth in this one??The moment they revealed who Cook really was?? I kinda guessed it back in book one, but the reveal still hit so hard. The way it was executed, and Laia’s reaction almost had me in tears. Just beautifully done.
Darin and his portrayal of PTSD felt so raw and real. Every time he was on the page, I just wanted to hug him. I seriously can’t wait to see his reunion with Laia in the next book. And then there’s The Blood Shrike and Harper...Their dynamic is so good, I need more of them together. Immediately. And finally, Elias and Laia… they just break my heart. Constantly. Their love story is so beautifully painful, and I’m scared but excited to see how it all ends.
The worldbuilding in this one really stood out too like we finally start to see how big and layered this world really is. Between the Scholars, the Martials, the terrifying Ghosts, and now the Jinn, it feels like everything’s expanding.
This book really couldn't give me more than it has already given me. This will most likely going straight into my favorite series list, and might even be the top one there T^T
The characters are written so well, and the emotional depth in this one??
Darin and his portrayal of PTSD felt so raw and real. Every time he was on the page, I just wanted to hug him. I seriously can’t wait to see his reunion with Laia in the next book. And then there’s The Blood Shrike and Harper...Their dynamic is so good, I need more of them together. Immediately. And finally, Elias and Laia… they just break my heart. Constantly. Their love story is so beautifully painful, and I’m scared but excited to see how it all ends.
The worldbuilding in this one really stood out too like we finally start to see how big and layered this world really is. Between the Scholars, the Martials, the terrifying Ghosts, and now the Jinn, it feels like everything’s expanding.
This book really couldn't give me more than it has already given me. This will most likely going straight into my favorite series list, and might even be the top one there T^T
5 stars!
For a short novella, this does have me annotate quite a lot. Honestly, Ann Liang writes so many beautiful quotes that I can’t resist highlighting. So let me share some of my faves:
“Ten years? That’s like—damn, that’s a really long time.”
“A very long time to be obsessed with someone.”
“You’re incredible. Like, really, really incredible. You’re incredible to me. To be around. As a person. You make me so happy I sometimes wonder how this could even be real life.”
“I remember the exact color of the skirt you wore on our first official date. I remember where we were sitting when you first held my hand.”
