#revie

Keep in mind, I’m saying this is comparison to other SJM books. It is so similar to her other stories that it’s kind of scary. Just off the top of my head let’s name a couple of similarities (Bryce/Aelin, the love interest being sworn/slave to eveil lady ex. Rhysand, Rowan, Lorcan, Hunt, secretly being the daughter of a king ex. Aelin and Bryce, falling in love with a nurse lady ex. Dorian and that girl who got her head cut off, Chaol and Yrene, Ruhn and the witch).

So essentially, if you’ve read a SJM book and enjoyed it, you’ll enjoy this one.

Cynicism aside, this book was a lot better than her previous ones. Idk if its because it’s technically an adult book but it felt a lot more well rounded and complete than the others.

It was a bit on the predictable side, but not all the time.

For example, I called that her tattoo was not just some stupid drunk tattoo super early in the book.

I also totally guessed that she had starpower - but i thought she was going to develop it and didn’t realize that SHE WAS LITERALLY HIDING IT THE WHOLE TIME.

And when you start a book and say like thirty seven times ‘to take the drop alone is to die’ - i think it’s pretty damn obvious to the reader that she’s taking the drop alone.

That doesn’t mean that there weren’t twists that got me. Pretty much all of the major plot points that went down after the barge, were a surprise in some capacity.

WHAT I LOVED: - Hunt - Their demon dog -Actual normal relationship moments -The world building - can’t wait to see more of that - The Manon & Dorian vibes I get from Ruhn and his witch girlfriend - honestly everything in the last 150 pages was incredible

WHAT I DIDN’T LOVE: - Bryce like 77% of the time - The super healing - a bit too convenient - Her human father also being a badass, her having secret powers and being the key to everything

AND THE THING THAT ANNOYED ME THE MOST:

we did not get a single sex scene.

SJM this is why I trust you. You cheated me out of a Elorcan sex scene and just teased us with that stupid tent moment, and in this one you had them get fully in the mood like three times and then stopped it.

This better be building for some hella good sex in book two. like...i read your books for plot, but after the mating scene in ACOMAF I have very high expectations for your smutty scenes as well.

WHAT I THINK IS GOING TO HAPPEN: - Hunt & Bryce are breaking up. I’m sorry, we have a SJM formula here. We meet Rowan in book three of ToG, Rhysand becomes a main in ACOMAF (book 2), so there is no way we are not getting a new love interest. Like, I’m totally willing to forgive Hunt, but he betrayed her and there is no way they just leave that alone. He was willing to revolt against the high angels or whatever they’re called and lied to Bryce. We’re getting a new option for her.

- Bryce mentioned at one point that if she had more power and her father recognized her, she would likely be arranged to marry someone. So enter fiance (is he our option number 2??)

I don’t know where I stand on this book. It’s easily my favourite SJM book, but it missed some marks for me. I wish the protagonist had been a bit different from Aelin, speaking as someone who never really liked Aelin all that much. I’m concerned for my mental health about how angry I was about the lack of sex scene.