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This post will have a lot of spoilers.
I read some comments about how people didn’t like this book so much, for many reasons, and, although I respect that, I disagree about some things.
I agree that this book was slow. That the surprise factor was kind of a let down! But if you think about the fact that this series will have 6 books, you realize that this book was more of a bridge and an opportunity to clarify some stuff. Of course it needed some drama and tension, so all the Casteel being taken and shit, that you could clearly see it wasn’t very well planned at all, but ok. I think this book was more like a filler than anything else. I liked it, though. 🤷🏻♀️
But ok, let me say some stuff.
1st, and I think most important: Casteel rescue. After the way Isbeth took him, all the shit at the end of last book and the finger delivery, I was expecting a super elaborated plot around his rescue and it ended up being pretty weak! On one hand, I kind of felt relieved because there wasn’t so much stalling around getting to him, and you gotta love a simple succession of events, but I thought it could have gone better, more thrill, or something. Either way, THANK GOD HE WAS MARGINALLY OK. And thank God he’s home again ❤️ Poppy and his reunion was pretty steamy and I love them!
2nd: Malik: Thank God this shithead helped Casteel, I think we all had a feeling he wasn’t bad or anything, and just another victim in all this chaos, but I was glad to be sure and I loved that he left Carsodonia and reunited with everyone! His reunion with Delano and Valyn? Oh, so bittersweet! I need more of him at home, remaking bonds and everything. I really didn’t like the part about him being the one who tried to kill Poppy as a child. It was really bad of him, but I understood his logic, like Poppy did. I didn’t like because for me it seemed a little forced, as if just made to be another - unnecessary - obstacle between Malik and Casteel. But, oh well, he didn’t kill her and Casteel already bit the shit out of him, so let’s move on from that.
3rd: Millicent: That was a curvy ball, and I liked that development. I like her and Malik, I think it has potential for a great storyline here. I’m still a little unsure if I LIKE the person she is, though. She seems not to be a crazy person like the mother, and tried to stop all that shitshow, and Malik appears to like her and believe her to be a good person, but we didn’t get enough of her for me to specifically like her. I bet I will like her if she doesn’t die or something, but not yet. I love the idea of Poppy having a sister, though.
4th, the Prophecy: WTF? I swear I didn’t understand that whole nonsense at all. It didn’t make sense, I’m still lost about that mess and it took such a central part of the book that I really just got annoyed that it really didn’t mean much at the end.
5th, Isbeth: Oh, her death was violent, horrific, brutal and so bloody and I’m here for all of it. Such a piece of garbage that woman. Everything that Seraphena said at that moment was so powerful and real. I was so thrilled about that crazy scene.
6th, that final crazy scene: I was losing my freaking shit. Like, everybody was dying, shit was going tits up and I was so tense and scared. That fucking scene scared the bejesus out of me, welp. When Delano died I was ready to give that book up, I swear. I love that wolf so much! But then everybody errr, resurrected? And I was so freaking thankful that I could get past that very biblical moment.
7th, the Gods shitshow: not much to say here, I really got so confused about Gods and Primals, and primal essence, and amber and one stealing the essence of the other and everybody sleeping like nothing was happening, that honestly I need the next book to help me understand all that mess.
8th, the infamous Joining: I have a lot to unpack here.
I read so much how people hated how Poppy and Kieran’s feelings grew for each other during this book, how they thought it was kind of emotional cheating on Casteel, and how they hated that Kieran kind of got in between the couple. I mean, I don’t necessary loved the growing feelings between them when Cas was away, I was really scared of what that would mean when Casteel got back, but then it got so clear for me that, although Poppy loves Kieran very much, her love for Casteel is the romantic one. I didn’t mind the Joining at all because I really felt at that moment that the bond the three of them share is so real and full of love, but not at all what Casteel and Poppy have. Those bonds are different, one not more important then the other, but different and I understand and respect. What made me really more at ease with this is seeing the love Cas and Kieran have for each other, how Cas wanted the Joining, that it wasn’t him doing it just because Poppy wanted or something like that, and that Kieran wanted to be bonded not just because of his feelings for Poppy, but because he has such strong and sincere feelings about Cas either. So, how can Kieran be between the couple if Cas and Kieran also have a bond that is just so special and strong, and uniquely theirs, too? It felt sincere for me, for them to be bonded, and not romantically so. The sex might’ve made things felt romantic, but honestly, I really believe that they just used the opportunity of the ceremony that kind of makes people horny to enjoy some naughty time hehe! I specially love how sexy Cas is about exploring sex with Poppy, and how into it he was about the joining. I get that sometimes kind of feels like everything is about Poppy. Like, she’s the most powerful, the wolven are now bonded to her, she’s a God, the chosen, the prophecy and so on, that annoys me a little that everything is about her when I would really love for it be just as much about Cas too, because I love him just as much, but the joining I really felt it was about the tree of them and very fair. It made sense either, for me, why they did it! It really settle me too, that after the joining, Cas, Poppy and Kieran were exact the same. And I particularly love that scene when Kieran joined Poppy and Cas on their tent to sleep with them and she remarks how the both of them, Poppy and Kieran, are drawn to Cas very strongly ❤️
9th, Reaver: AND THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ONE because is a wish of my heart, ok? But I WOULD LOVE SO FUCKING MUCH if Kieran and Reaver became a couple! All that snark between them scream of sexual tension to me, and honestly, it would be SO HOT and funny the both of them together.
So, that is that, I think I talked about everything of note. I hope the next book is more complete in the sense of well constructed plans and such things, and that nobody important gets separated of their loved ones. And that nobody ever touches Delano again u.u
Ok, so. This one wasn’t the best book of the series, but between 6, some were bound to be weaker. Nonetheless, I’m already waiting for The Heart of Bone and Ash, hopefully next year?!
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