Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, #1) by Sarah J. Maas

Synopsis (via Goodreads): After serving out a year of hard labor in the salt mines of Endovier for her crimes, 18-year-old assassin Celaena Sardothien is dragged before the Crown Prince. Prince Dorian offers her her freedom on one condition: she must act as his champion in a competition to find a new royal assassin.

Her opponents are men-thieves and assassins and warriors from across the empire, each sponsored by a member of the king's council. If she beats her opponents in a series of eliminations, she'll serve the kingdom for four years and then be granted her freedom. Celaena finds her training sessions with the captain of the guard, Westfall, challenging and exhilarating. But she's bored stiff by court life. Things get a little more interesting when the prince starts to show interest in her ... but it's the gruff Captain Westfall who seems to understand her best.

Then one of the other contestants turns up dead ... quickly followed by another. Can Celaena figure out who the killer is before she becomes a victim? As the young assassin investigates, her search leads her to discover a greater destiny than she could possibly have imagined.

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Okay, so I didn't love Throne of Glass, but I've also read it before! It took me a few chapters to realize this, but then everything started clicking into place. I think I read this one when it was originally published (so nearly a decade ago), and forgot to update it on Goodreads. I know I previously owned a copy of this book, but due to a lack of space, I only keep the stories that I plan on reading again and again and again! Clearly, my past self didn't plan on re-reading this one, but I was on such a Maas high after finishing A Court of Thorns and Roses (for the second time), and was looking for something that would elicit similar feelings.

I debated between three and four stars, but ultimately I was dissatisfied with the characters and the story. The romance was weird and unnecessary, although I really enjoyed their friendships. I wish they had worked together collectively, instead of pairing off throughout the story. It was always Celaena and one of the other characters (usually Dorian, Chaol, Nehemia, or Nox). Why didn't we see Chaol and Dorian making plans or discussing issues? Dorian is the Crown Prince and Chaol is Captain of the Guard, so the two of them had plenty of reasons to conspire and share suspicious.

Instead, we see the two friends fighting for Celaena's attention. They're not mean about it, but the jealousy is there whenever one stumbles across the other alone with the assassin. I feel like it put a strain on their relationship, which is ridiculous. People are being murdered, and Celaena is a convicted criminal that they know nothing about. Priorities! Chaol was understandably suspicious, but he was clearly intrigued by their new Champion. I liked both Dorian and Chaol individually, and thought they both had a lot to offer the story, but felt like they weren't fleshed out as characters.

Additionally, I didn't really get assassin-vibes from Celaena. Super spy, maybe, because she was calculating and observant. However, she seemed to lack the desire to actually kill someone for money. Maybe if Maas had shared more of her history and backstory, it would have made more sense. From what I can tell, Celaena only killed people that deserved it, and she tried to save everyone else. I just had a hard time thinking of her as someone who accepted money for murder.

I wanted to know more about all of the characters in this book, but feel like the author alluded to their histories just enough to keep us invested. Obviously, Celaena isn't who we think she is, and she's constantly locking a door in her mind to keep herself from thinking about whatever it is. I have my suspicions, but it would have been nice to have some things confirmed before the end of the book. Chaol has an equally complicated past, although we only learn about where he's from, and that he has a younger brother. How did he become the Captain of the Guard at such a young age? Also, how did he mange to do this without having to get his hands dirty? They're in the middle of a war -- have been for years -- but the King's Captain of the Guard has never fought and killed another person? It doesn't make sense. Dorian is portrayed as a promiscuous prince, but one with compassion and understanding. He doesn't want what his father wants, but he's not quite brave enough to challenge him openly. Why are his eyes so different? Why isn't he as corrupted as his father?

I really enjoyed the magical elements of this story, even if I didn't always understand what they were or how they were happening. I'm sure some of this is expanded on in the next book, but I wish we'd been given more information in this one. Back to the romance... I wish it had never been an issue. What Celaena says at the end... about wanting to be free... that should have been her belief from the beginning. She always knew that the outcome would be her freedom or her death, so it shouldn't have been a surprise when it happened. It would have prevented any unnecessary feelings from developing.

I'm sure I'll eventually read the next book in this series, but I wasn't completely blown away by Throne of Glass. I also have a feeling that the romance I do want to see develop isn't going to happen. Based on other reviews, Celaena seems to be with a different person every book.

Bringing Down the Duke (A League of Extraordinary Women, #1) by Evie Dunmore

Synopsis (via Goodreads): A stunning debut for author Evie Dunmore and her Oxford Rebels, in which a fiercely independent vicar's daughter takes on a duke in a fiery love story that threatens to upend the British social order.

England, 1879. Annabelle Archer, the brilliant but destitute daughter of a country vicar, has earned herself a place among the first cohort of female students at the renowned University of Oxford. In return for her scholarship, she must support the rising women's suffrage movement. Her charge: recruit men of influence to champion their cause. Her target: Sebastian Devereux, the cold and calculating Duke of Montgomery who steers Britain's politics at the Queen's command. Her challenge: not to give in to the powerful attraction she can't deny for the man who opposes everything she stands for.

Sebastian is appalled to find a suffragist squad has infiltrated his ducal home, but the real threat is his impossible feelings for green-eyed beauty Annabelle. He is looking for a wife of equal standing to secure the legacy he has worked so hard to rebuild, not an outspoken commoner who could never be his duchess. But he wouldn't be the greatest strategist of the Kingdom if he couldn't claim this alluring bluestocking without the promise of a ring...or could he?

Locked in a battle with rising passion and a will matching her own, Annabelle will learn just what it takes to topple a duke....

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I received a review copy from Penguin's First To Read program in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

I don't typically read historical romance, but I am so very glad I took a chance on Evie Dunmore's Bringing Down the Duke. I loved every second of this book, and never wanted to stop turning the pages! I enjoyed the setting (even if I wanted to smack some misogynistic men around), and liked that the author was true to the time period while also touching on the women's suffrage movement. It's always eye-opening to see woman from an earlier time period fighting to obtain the same rights as men, and it astounds me that similar battles are still being fought today. I think that's why I usually avoid historical romance, because the time period itself makes me angry. Women were essentially property, and were only as important as the men they married. Grr!

Annabelle was an amazing character. She's intelligent, driven, and desires more from her life than what's expected of her. She doesn't want to raise her cousin's children, or take care of his house, and she certainly doesn't want to be married off for convenience, which is why Annabelle decides to trick her cousin into allowing her to pursue a higher education. He doesn't know who or what is offering Annabelle a scholarship, only that he believes her going there will somehow benefit him in the future. It's insane how Annabelle had to manipulate the situation just to attend a college and further her desire for more knowledge. Additionally, she had to work twice as hard to keep her spot at the school. She needed to study for her own classes, while also tutoring others so she send money home to her cousin (for her supposed replacement at the house, ugh). 

Sebastian was an irritating character. I couldn't decide if I wanted Annabelle to strangle him or rip all of his clothes off. One minute he's condescending to her, or mentally referring to her as a wench, and the next he's appreciating her intellect and determination. He likes Annabelle, but society dictates he marries someone more important (insert eyeroll here). I really enjoyed how complex Sebastian's character was, and I liked his relationship with his brother. He's torn between trying to set a good example, like a parent, and being present as a sibling. It causes a lot of conflict, but I thought their relationship was realistic and relatable.  

All of the women attending the college, and those involved in the woman's suffrage movement, were wonderful. The author incudes women from different stations in life, and also how their induvial choices have shaped where they are today. They were good friends to Annabelle, despite her unfortunate circumstances (insert another eyeroll here). They treat her as an equal because they like who she is as a person. It's also the right thing to do as a general life rule.

I thoroughly enjoyed Bringing Down the Duke, and the slow-burn romance was well worth the wait. Especially the scene at the end... the one where she describes him coming out of the water... phew. Evie Dunmore knows how to make you tingle down to the tips of your toes! It was hot. I recommend this book whether you're a fan of historical romance or not, because this story was fantastic from the very first page.

My Weekly Pull [84] & Can't Wait Wednesday [54]

My Weekly Pull is something I do every Wednesday (when the stars align in my favor) to show which comics I had pulled for me that week! If you're into comics, or you're looking to start, please join me! If you decide to do your own post, there's a link-up at the bottom. I would love to stop by and check it out!

Transformers '84 #0 by Simon Furman, Guido Guidi

Daredevil #10 by Chip Zdarsky, Jorge Fornes, Totino Tedesco

Canto #3 by David M. Booher, Drew Zucker

Jacob's comics for the week!

Absolute Carnage vs Deadpool #1 by Matthew Rosenberg, Marcelo Ferreira, Tyler Kirkham

Deadpool Annual #1 by Various Artists, Aaron Kuder 

Guardians of the Galaxy #8 by Donny Cates, Geoff Shaw, Mike Henderson

History of the Marvel Universe #2 by Mark Waid, Javier Rodriguez

Strayed #1 by Carlos Giffoni, Juan Doe, Dustin Nguyen

This Daredevil series has been really, really good. I haven't read any of the others, so I don't have anything to compare it to, but I'm enjoying Zdarsky's perspective. Canto is one I'm reading with my son, and it's been great so far! It's very unique and interesting--love the concept. I think Transformers '84 is supposed to be a prequel for the current ongoing series... Regardless, I'm looking forward to reading it!

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, that highlights upcoming releases that we're anticipating and excited to read. It's a spinoff of the feature Waiting on Wednesday that was hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Expected publication: January 7th 2020

Synopsis (via Goodreads): In the sequel to New York Times bestselling A Curse So Dark and Lonely, Brigid Kemmerer returns to the world of Emberfall in a lush fantasy where friends become foes and love blooms in the darkest of places.

Find the heir, win the crown.
The curse is finally broken, but Prince Rhen of Emberfall faces darker troubles still. Rumors circulate that he is not the true heir and that forbidden magic has been unleashed in Emberfall. Although Rhen has Harper by his side, his guardsman Grey is missing, leaving more questions than answers. Win the crown, save the kingdom.
Rumored to be the heir, Grey has been on the run since he destroyed Lilith. He has no desire to challenge Rhen--until Karis Luran once again threatens to take Emberfall by force. Her own daughter Lia Mara sees the flaws in her mother’s violent plan, but can she convince Grey to stand against Rhen, even for the good of Emberfall?

The heart-pounding, compulsively readable saga continues as loyalties are tested and new love blooms in a kingdom on the brink of war.


I really loved A Curse So Dark and Lonely, and I loved Grey even more, so I cannot wait to read A Heart So Fierce and Broken! I need to know what happens between Grey and Rhen, because there are some serious secrets being kept, and I cannot wait to see how everything unfolds.

*Share your My Weekly Pull post! Please leave the direct link to your My Weekly Pull post and not just your blog's URL. Thank you for participating and happy reading!

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik

Narrated by Lisa Flanagan

Synopsis (via Goodreads): Miryem is the daughter and granddaughter of moneylenders... but her father isn't a very good one. Free to lend and reluctant to collect, he has loaned out most of his wife's dowry and left the family on the edge of poverty--until Miryem steps in. Hardening her heart against her fellow villagers' pleas, she sets out to collect what is owed--and finds herself more than up to the task. When her grandfather loans her a pouch of silver pennies, she brings it back full of gold.

But having the reputation of being able to change silver to gold can be more trouble than it's worth--especially when her fate becomes tangled with the cold creatures that haunt the wood, and whose king has learned of her reputation and wants to exploit it for reasons Miryem cannot understand.

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I borrowed the audiobook for Spinning Silver from my library multiple times before I finally finished it. It wasn't that the story itself was bad, but the pacing was painfully slow. It was liking wading through a river with rocks in your pockets -- not impossible, but not pleasant either. I felt like it took the author a very long time to get from point A to point B, which resulted in a lack of interest on my part.

Additionally, the perspective changes periodically and without warning. The author doesn't specify who is speaking at the start of each chapter, so you're left trying to figure it out on your own. I will say that I didn't have too much trouble telling the characters apart, both because of the narrator and the drastic differences in the characters themselves, but it was always touch and go at the beginning. Sometimes I would start listening to a chapter thinking it was one person, only to rewind and start over once I realized it was someone else.

I really enjoyed the girl power in this book, and how the three women refused to accept or bend to the expectations of others. The father of one didn't want to harass people for the money they owed him, and his daughter was tired of seeing her family suffer because of it. She took over his business and made it profitable, simply by holding other people accountable. She didn't back down when they laughed at her, and she didn't accept their excuses. Another daughter was mistreated, both physically and verbally, yet she still managed to work towards a better future for herself and her siblings. She didn't let his words or his fists control her life or break her spirit. The third daughter is cloistered away because her father feels like she's unimportant. He doesn't think she has anything to offer the world, and only sees his dead wife whenever she's around. He wants to use her station as a means to improve his standing, and she manages is to twist it in her favor. These girls knew they were more than their circumstances, and they fought against the men that wanted to use and control them for their own personal gain. I thought their individual stories were compelling, and loved when their lives started overlapping and there were more interactions between them.

Naomi Novik is a very skilled writer, and the details in Spinning Silver were clever and vast. Everything is connected. A tree, a name, a forgotten house... all of the induvial threads were woven together until there was a big, beautiful tapestry at the end. I have no idea how the author managed to keep everything organized, because there was so much happening simultaneously. I would often disregarded details as inconsequential (just more padding for the story), only to later realize they were actually crucial to the continuation of the story. It was brilliant!

If you don't mind books with a slower pace, I would highly recommend this. The story itself is fantastic and I wish I had more patience for stories like this one. The characters were strong, intelligent, determined, and not afraid to fight for themselves. The setting was both lovely and eerie, and I enjoyed experiencing the world from multiple perspectives.

My Weekly Pull [83] & Can't-Wait Wednesday [53]

My Weekly Pull is something I do every Wednesday (when the stars align in my favor) to show which comics I had pulled for me that week! If you're into comics, or you're looking to start, please join me! If you decide to do your own post, there's a link-up at the bottom. I would love to stop by and check it out!

Loki #2 by Daniel Kibblesmith, Ozgur Yildirim 

Gwenpool Strikes Back #1 by Leah Williams, David Baldeon, Terry Dodson 

Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #10 by Tom Taylor, Ken Lashley, Andrew C. Robinson

Miles Morales Spider-Man #9 by Saladin Ahmed, Javi Garron, Patrick OKeefe 

The White Trees #1 by Chip Zdarsky, Kris Anka 

Once and Future #1 by Kieron Gillen, Dan Mora

Jacob's comics for the week!

Usagi Yojimbo #3 by Stan Sakai

Hit-Girl Season 2 #7 by Daniel Way, Goran Parlov, Andre Lima Araujo

Absolute Carnage Scream #1 by Cullen Bunn, Gerardo Sandoval

Absolute Carnage Separation Anxiety #1 by Clay Chapman, Brian Level, Philip Tan

Amazing Spider-Man #27 by Nick Spencer, Kev Walker, Ryan Ottley

Punisher Kill Krew #1 by Gerry Duggan, Juan Ferreyra, Tony Moore

Symbiote Spider-Man #5 by Peter David, Greg Land

We're getting sooo many comics this week! I wasn't going to continue reading Loki after the first issue, but it was still on Jacob's list. I keep forgetting to ask him if he actually liked it, or if he added the second issue because we read the first. Regardless, the second one is on its way, and maybe it'll be better.

Gwenpool is back! Gwenpool is back! One of my very first comics was The Unbelievable Gwenpool by Christopher Hastings. I was heartbroken when it ended over a year ago, so I'm thrilled to see that Gwen is getting another series. I also love that she chooses to unmask Spider-Man as her way in! Loving the cover! There were so many to choose from, but I like how angry Peter looks, haha.

I'm still behind on Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man... shh.

The last issue of Miles Morales Spider-Man made me shed a few tears. I have to remind myself that he's still a child, even though he's also a superhero. This is the first time I've seen him really and truly suffer at the hands of someone else, and it's heartbreaking. What he's going through...ugh. Saladin Ahmed is brutal.

Doesn't White Trees just look amazing? I think the guy on the left looks like Nick Offerman, but that's neither here nor there. The important thing is that it's written by Chip Zdarsky and illustrated by Kris Anka! Also, the premise is really interesting, and I'm curious to see what these guys will do with the story. Zdarsky's newsletter said something about elf dong, so there's really no telling what will happen.

Once and Future is already on its FOURTH printing! They were selling out long before the comic's actual release date, so they kept making more (which continued to sell out). Fortunately for me, I pre-ordered this one in advance, but I'm considering buying additional copies because some of the other covers are pretty badass...hmm.

I cannot wait to read these! Are you starting any new comics this week?

Can't Wait Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Tressa at Wishful Endings, that highlights upcoming releases that we're anticipating and excited to read. It's a spinoff of the feature Waiting on Wednesday that was hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

Sapphire Flames (Hidden Legacy, #4)

by Ilona Andrews 

Expected publication: August 27th 2019

Synopsis (via Goodreads): From #1 New York Times bestselling author Ilona Andrew comes an enthralling new trilogy set in the Hidden Legacy world, where magic means power, and family bloodlines are the new currency of society…

In a world where magic is the key to power and wealth, Catalina Baylor is a Prime, the highest rank of magic user, and the Head of her House. Catalina has always been afraid to use her unique powers, but when her friend’s mother and sister are murdered, Catalina risks her reputation and safety to unravel the mystery.

But behind the scenes powerful forces are at work, and one of them is Alessandro Sagredo, the Italian Prime who was once Catalina’s teenage crush. Dangerous and unpredictable, Alessandro’s true motives are unclear, but he’s drawn to Catalina like a moth to a flame.

To help her friend, Catalina must test the limits of her extraordinary powers, but doing so may cost her both her House–and her heart.

I pre-ordered this book months ago! I recently received and email that said my order was being processed for shipping, so yay! It's nearly here! I adore this series, and cannot wait to see what it looks like from a different sister's perspective. Ilona Andrews is a dream duo, and I hope they never stop writing books. (This was my CWW back in March, but it's worth repeating!)

*Share your My Weekly Pull post! Please leave the direct link to your My Weekly Pull post and not just your blog's URL. Thank you for participating and happy reading!

Mini Reviews [31]

Ghosted in L.A. #1 by Sina Grace,

Siobhan Keenan & Cathy Le (Illustrators)

Synopsis (via Goodreads): In Los Angeles, finding an apartment is killer—unless you live with the dead. Rycroft Manor may be old. It may be abandoned. It may even be haunted. But Daphne Walters doesn’t care about any of that—it has a pool and the rent is free. 

New to LA, coming off of a bad breakup and having a pretty terrible week, Daphne might need to crash on this haunted couch for a while, but having undead roommates might be more than she bargained for! Will the dead be able to help Daphne find the life she’s been missing in the big city? 

From GLAAD Award-nominated Sina Grace (Iceman) and illustrator Siobhan Keenan (Clueless, Jem and the Holograms) comes a story about learning how to make friends, find love, and live to the fullest with a little help from some friends whose lives didn't end at death.

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The artwork is phenomenal! I really loved every frame. Unfortunately, the main character is obnoxious and unlikeable. She's petty, flighty, and unbelievably naïve. It's clear she's having an identity crisis, but her flippant attitude kept me from caring about her problems. She's also a sucky friend, childish, and way to willing to move in with ghosts she knows nothing about. Hard pass. 

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Saban's Go Go Power Rangers: Forever

Rangers #1 by Ryan Parrott, 

Dan Mora, Eleonora Carlini, 

Simona DiGianfelice, Raul Angulo

(Illustrators)

Synopsis (via Goodreads): Everything in GO GO POWER RANGERS has been leading to THIS MOMENT! Don’t miss the epic conclusion as The Power Rangers face off against Alpha 1 and the reveal of Rita’s true plan; a familiar newcomer whose arrival in Angel Grove will change everything.

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My son and I were really excited about this one, but it was way too confusing, especially for a first issue. The first page starts with Alpha-5 and Zordon, which makes sense, but then we jump to the Power Rangers fighting Alpha-1 with no warning or explanation. Everything about the fight scene was jumbled, and I had a hard time following what was happening. After the battle, we see them interacting with each other at school, but then we flashback to Zack nearly being abducted (I'm assuming it was a flashback since he was in other frames later). Saban's Go Go Power Rangers: Forever Rangers might be okay if you've followed the previous comics, but for someone that just grew up watching the television show, it was too erratic and labyrinthine.

The characters weren't introduced until the very end, which left me making assumptions about who each person was for most of the issue (I know there are certain characteristics about each character that should stand out, but it would have been nice to have a refresher at the beginning). I feel like the first issue shouldn't assume that people will automatically know what is going on. Instead, it should be informative and offer explanations while also setting up the story. My son wants to continue reading this one because it's the Power Rangers, and he's recently started watching the television show (love sharing things from my childhood with him), but I'm not sure if I want to invest time and money into something that's confusing and inconsiderate of new readers.

Rage (Stormheart, #2) by Cora Carmack

Synopsis (via Goodreads): Princess or adventurer.

Duty or freedom.

Her Kingdom or the Stormhunter she loves.

If Aurora knows anything, it's that choices have consequences. To set things right, she joins a growing revolution on the streets of Pavan.

In disguise as the rebel Roar, she puts her knowledge of the palace to use to aid the rebellion. But the Rage season is at its peak and not a day passes without the skies raining down destruction. Yet these storms are different—they churn with darkness, and attack with a will that’s desperate and violent.

This feels like more than rage.

It feels like war.

Princessoradventurer.

Dutyorfreedom.

HerKingdomortheStormhuntersheloves.

IfAuroraknowsanything,it'sthatchoiceshaveconsequences.Tosetthingsright,shejoinsagrowingrevolutiononthestreetsofPavan.

IndisguiseastherebelRoar,sheputsherknowledgeofthepalacetousetoaidtherebellion.ButtheRageseasonisatitspeakandnotadaypasseswithouttheskiesrainingdowndestruction.Yetthesestormsaredifferent—theychurnwithdarkness,andattackwithawillthat’sdesperateandviolent.

Thisfeelslikemorethanrage.

Itfeelslikewar.Princessoradventurer.

Dutyorfreedom.

HerKingdomortheStormhuntersheloves.

IfAuroraknowsanything,it'sthatchoiceshaveconsequences.Tosetthingsright,shejoinsagrowingrevolutiononthestreetsofPavan.

IndisguiseastherebelRoar,sheputsherknowledgeofthepalacetousetoaidtherebellion.ButtheRageseasonisatitspeakandnotadaypasseswithouttheskiesrainingdowndestruction.Yetthesestormsaredifferent—theychurnwithdarkness,andattackwithawillthat’sdesperateandviolent.

Thisfeelslikemorethanrage.

Itfeelslikewar.

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I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. My thoughts and opinions are my own. Any quotes I use are from an unpublished copy and may not reflect the finished product.

I was really looking forward to reading Rage, but I almost gave up on it a few times. Skimming ahead piqued my curiosity, but just barely. I think my biggest issue was that nothing really happened. The story progresses, but there was a lot more adventure and excitement in the first book. Roar had been willing to go outside of her comfort zone and risk her life for knowledge and answers. In this book, Roar felt more timid and unsure of herself, and her self-deprecation really got on my nerves.

"Aurora was no general in an army, nor was she a leader of a rebellion. She was a princess--a naïve and defective one at that. How had she ever thought she could make a difference? Could do any of this?"

Roar does this a lot. She'll pretend to be assertive and tough to get what she wants, but then she worries about every decision she makes, constantly second-guessing herself and what kind of person she is. She was also stupid and unbelievably selfish, which really made me want to stop reading. Do you remember her secret from the first book? The one she kept promising to share with the others? It takes over 100 pages before she actually confesses the truth to her friends. Why? Because she didn't think they would help her if they knew the truth, and she wanted them committed to the task so they couldn't back out once she told them.

"Goddess, she was selfish. If she had any honor, she would tell them right here, right now and let them leave before they got involved any further. But the greedy part of her was not going to make it any easier for Kiran to leave her."

That's not love! She was using Kiran and her found family, her friends, for what they could offer her. She wanted their skills and abilities on her side so she wouldn't feel alone. She didn't even give them a chance to make up their minds for themselves. She should have trusted them enough to tell them the truth instead of blindly leading them into danger. Yes, she admitted to being selfish, and to wanting to keep Kiran close, but it was shady and manipulative. I thought she was trying to be better than the other Stormlings? She used people to her advantage, and then wanted them to feel sorry for her when she inevitably felt guilty and wanted to cry. Honestly, I think her tears were just another form of manipulation. 

Some of the story felt repetitive, but it could also be my review copy, so it doesn't count towards my rating. It was mostly when Kiran couldn't decide how he felt about Roar after she tells him her secret. He was torn and conflicted, which is understandable, but he repeats his thoughts often. His reasons for keeping his distance also didn't feel believable to me, so it was hard to forgive his actions. If I were him, I would've been more upset about her lying and withholding information, not the secret itself. He also kept making decisions for Roar, instead of just asking her what she thought. If he'd just asked her what she wanted and why, they would have avoided a lot of hurt feelings and sleepless nights. 

There's a sentence in this book that really bothered me: "Aurora's cheeks flushed, recalling just how adult he had made her feel the night before." Having sex shouldn't be what made her finally feel like an adult. She's a princess that abandoned her people for mostly selfish reasons. Yes, she was trying to escape an evil family and a marriage she didn't want, but she also wanted to find answers for herself. She traveled through dangerous lands with strangers, and accumulated the information and skills she would need to better help others. She survived countless obstacles with her new crew, yet sex is what finally made her feel like a grown up, ugh.

Additionally, Roar thinks Cassian is obsessed with her. How conceited of you, darling. She often talks about his obsession, and why her poor choices wouldn't spell disaster for everyone, because he wanted her so much. She risked countless lives because of a hunch that was based on nothing. Yes, Cassius did look for her when she left, because he thought she'd been kidnapped, and he's not a completely despicable person. He is trying to keep the people safe in his own way, and he's by no means a nice person, but he's not deplorable. He's the product of brutality, fear, and a lack of love. He felt a connection to Roar, sure, but I never felt like he was obsessed with her. He had his own reasons for wanting the marriage, and it wasn't simply because he was dying to have her by his side. He was weird about some things, but I think that said more about him than her.

I really wanted to know more about the secondary characters, too. Zephyr, Sly, Jinx, Ransom, Duke, Bait, Novaya, and even Cassius. I feel like they have the potential to be complex and independent characters, but they move through the story like a blob. No one really sticks out, and I don't feel like we learn anything new about them during this book (with the exception of Nova). Also, the flashbacks or whatever were weird, even though I understood their purpose. I wish they had shed more light on a certain someone, but really they just pulled me away from the rest of the story.

A lot of aspects about this book really rubbed me the wrong way, and I'm not sure if I'll continue the series. It doesn't feel like anything really happened in this book, and Roar was just incredibly frustrating. If she wasn't pushing thoughts aside to dwell on later, she was wallowing in self-pity and whatever else. I'm also not a fan of how this one ended, although I shouldn't be surprised after the cliffhanger we're left with at the end of the first book.