I have such complicated thoughts about this book. While I can understand the appeal - it has all the things the fantasy book girlies love - I did not enjoy it as much. It seemed too "formulaic" for me. If you took every popular trope and fantasy plot point, put it through an algorithm, and printed out the results: you would get this book. It's a culmination of every high fantasy world and tortured character that's big on the internet these days. I'll give credit where it's due and commend the GREAT enemies-to-lovers (tension build-up, angst and REAL HATRED 😳). I did not care much for the main characters, but I was partial towards Aidon, the second lead (I'm afraid it's this second-lead syndrome I'm cursed with). Cliché lines and generic characters aside, this story does have potential. It's not ALL bad. Things will be going good and I'll be getting real invested and then BAM! I read something that makes me want to throw the book against a wall. There are a few *very specific* things that REALLY annoyed me. I'm not going to list them all. Feel free to read this book and discover them yourself. You might actually enjoy it.