so...you're telling me that I have to review this book after reading it???

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i literally can't process my feelings still and it has been a few hours. THAT ENDING. HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO JUST MOVE ON WITH MY LIFE??!

seriously, do I have to write a review?

i don't know how to write a review anymore.

this book is hands down one of my favourite reads of 2021. i want to physically force everyone to read it. please read it. if you're reading this review, add it to your tbr. if you are a mutual and don't read it, you are dead to me.

okay. where to begin.

If you know me, you know I have a soft-spot for charming, knife-wielding boys who smirk way too much. Bren gave me major George vibes from The Song of the Lioness books, as well as Leo from The Rigel Black Chronicles fanfic. IT’S JUST SO GOOD. I swear I spent the majority of this book squealing.

The dynamic between Rae and Bren is just ahhhhhsdkfjsdkf. I love how outspoken she is. How willing she is to challenge him at every turn. It amuses Bren, just as much as it amuses me to read it. And Bren gives just as much as he takes. It's a very equal relationship, and I want to see more so bad *cries* I died during multiple scenes. If you've read this book, you know which one I'm talking about. He's always at her side when she needs him the most, yet it doesn't detract from how strong-willed and determined Rae is on her own. He compliments her perfectly, and assures her that her doubts about whether she is a good person are unfounded, and that she has a right to defend herself if she feels pushed by him or anyone else.

I cannot wait to see what the next book has in store. Especially after that ending...Also, I'm totally ready to watch Bren come up with more creative ways to escape Matsin.

I love Rae so much. She's probably one of my favourite characters of all time. It's interesting how different she is compared to Alyrra. Rae is strong, resilient, stubborn, and very determined. She speaks her mind and stands up for herself and others. Her loyalty towards her sister almost made me cry. And while she can be a bit rash, careless, and naive, she develops so much throughout this book.

One part I especially liked was Rae’s relationship with her sister Niya. Since Niya can't marry because of her secret, and Rae doesn't believe she will marry because of her disability, they promise to be there for each other. And while this made me almost cry, it was also a little sad seeing Rae adamantly denying the beauty and attraction she feels towards Verin Stonemane, Bren, and even Garrin. She equates beauty with suspicion and even cruelty. And we can see it's a defence mechanism for herself so she doesn't get hurt. Her loyalty towards Niya won't allow Rae to even imagine falling in love and being in a relationship. It takes her until the end to realize that she's never loved her body enough, that she deserves so much better, and if she wants more, she will have to fight and take it for herself. It's such a powerful scene, and almost made me cry.

Through Rae's eyes we see so much more of Tarinon. I really liked how many people we got to meet and see, and I loved her friendship with Kirrana. Melly was such a sweetheart, and I loved their moments together, especially when Melly was there to let Rae cry on her shoulder. Her back and forth banter with Filadon was great. We really get to see a side of Filadon we didn't see before, and I found it to be quite interesting. Rae doesn't let anyone stand in her way when it comes to protecting those she loves, and I loved a specific scene between the two of them near the end of the book.

As for Alyrra...We really get to see the repercussions of what happened in Thorn. Alyrra is different. Changed. Though in ways that are difficult to see from the outside. I liked being able to see Alyrra through Rae's eyes. Rae goes in not knowing much about Alyrra's past, but she quickly sees the kind of abuse she's gone through at the hands of her brother and mother. I loved seeing Alyrra come into her own and stand up for herself. She's quiet and patient, compared to Rae's fiery determination. Instead of trying to get the court to love her, she gets their support by showing them what has been done to her. It's quite a calculating move, and one that Rae played a role in unknowingly at first. The change we see in the court ladies afterwards was incredible. The way Alyrra draws power to her, it goes to show how dangerous the royal family can be.

There were scenes in this book that were super satisfying to read after Thorn. And if you've read Thorn, you will not be disappointed. Alyrra finally gets a chance to stand up against the abuse she's gone through. And while she is in a position of power and has people to support her, it's not just that.
The court has seen her family's true colours, and not by Alyrra's own hand. She had to do nothing except let her brother and mother be themselves. And then when the opportunity came along, she uses that to defend herself. It's another very powerful scene that left me sitting there in awe.

(I will admit, the one scene that surprised me was Alyrra telling Matsin to test Rae's loyalty. Considering everything Alyrra has gone through, for her to not be explicit enough in telling Matsin not to physically harm Rae didn't make much sense to me. Though, I guess it shows how naive Alyrra still is, it still felt a little off.)

Rae gets to watch all of this happen, and she's quite perceptive. She never once forgets how dangerous the royal family is, and their actions only solidify this. She doesn't just accept their kindness and help, but is constantly wary of how much power they have, and how they can use it to harm her or her family if they so choose. We get another wonderful seen near the end, and it honestly just made me fall in love with Rae even more. She's a character you can't help loving and rooting for. And I'm just so emotional.

This book is violent and dark. Even more so than Thorn was. But I think it does a really good job of showing what life is like for the people of Tarinon. There's a constant threat looming over Rae's head and it results in an intense, fast-paced book that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

I liked seeing more of Tarinon and getting to know the different thieving rings. Rae straddles both worlds, the politics of the city and the politics of the court. And as the readers we get to see how they all interconnect.

While I had an idea where things were headed at the end, I was still not expecting what actually happened. This book exceeded any and all of my expectations. It's not just well-written. Intisar has a way of weaving together all of these complex plots and forming a story that just makes sense, while also delving into deeper, social issues.

ITS JUST SO GOOD YOU GUYS. PLEASE READ IT. I'm sitting here writing this and getting emotional because it was so well done. I haven't read a book this incredible in a long time.

RATING: 5 stars