4★ —
❝ I am coming to love him, in two different ways. Face to face, and word to word. ❞
i was so sure that this was going to be a five star read but somewhere around the halfway mark, i realised there was next to no world building whatsoever and what i had been envisioning, did not match the vibes or the era or the magic. other than that i loved the story and the romance aspects! i can't wait to get started on the sequel
4★ —
some of this felt a little too YA for my liking but the mystery of Caraval and Julian as a character kept me feeling intrigued enough to push through. i ended up really enjoying the mystery surrounding the game, and while Scarlett and Tella were both a bit annoying in some parts, i liked how they stuck up for one another with their father
5★
i went into this knowing next to nothing, and what i was left with was nothing short of an emotional rollercoaster of tears, excitement, love and friendship. this was impossible to put down and i had to stop myself from reading a few times just to take a breather. i didn't know what to expect but i sure as hell was not disappointed
5★
wow this book. there was non-stop action from start to finish. i loved all the POV's, and somehow the relationships between characters — both romantic and platonic — were so well developed in just this one book. there was a lot of war. A LOT. and i'm not sure if i can put myself through the emotional duress again for quite a while to come, but i would love to re-read this at some point. it was perfect
3.5★
i read this in tandem with Empire of Storms.
okay, i've always had a soft spot for Chaol, so i was happy to read a book about him and his own adventure, and how he overcame his own struggles and new injury. [SPOILERS] →
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i'm so happy Chaol found his happy ending! i love him and Yrene. i think they compliment each other so well, with him being a bit rash and her calm nature. the Nesryn and Sartaq chapters bored me a little. but overall it was a fun read, now i can't wait to see how they get back to Rowan and the rest of the crew!
4.5★ i read this in tandem with Tower of Dawn.
this book took the series to a whole new level for me! prior to this i didn't care much for many of the characters. but i loved this adventure, i love Manon (her chapters bored me to death in Queen of Shadows), and i can't wait to read about the fates of Lorcan, Elide, Lysandra, Aedion, Dorian and of course, Aelin and Rowan.
5★
maybe i'm just a sucker for all things romantasy but this book had me on the edge of my seat for the entire duration and it definitely lived up to the expectations and hype. i'm so glad i don't have to wait to start the next one because the cliff hanger — while it was all a little predictable — still has me reeling. i so look forward to seeing what the characters (and dragons!!!) get up to in the second instalment: Iron Flame
wow okay, i finished this book in a day because i was so excited to be back in elfhame with cardan and jude.
i think if i wasn't so attached to the characters and their individual storylines, i would've rated this 3/5. i loved it, but the book was over too quick, and had it been a mere 100 pages longer, so much of what happened could've been elaborated on.
there were plots that could've been expanded ever so slightly, and there are still so many questions left unanswered from the wicked king.
all in all, it was an exciting read. i just wish it was longer