1.5 / 5
The only reason this book is getting that extra .5 is because it was written by a Black woman. Otherwise, this book in its entirety was horrendous.

It’s a bad amalgamation of Vampire Diaries, Legendborn, House of Night and Fullmetal Alchemist without the charm any of these series hold. Hated the narration style, didn’t care for the any of the characters, really the only thing the this book had going for it was the set up for the world building but it didn’t want to spend adequate time actually… building the world.

Raven was ok for two singular seconds before she started to get on my nerves. Her hatred for all vampires was nonsensical, her wish-washy behavior with Khamari was annoying... I really hated how she constantly barged in on her mentors and teachers or generally did things she was told not to do but did anyways because she’s so self righteous and entitled that she thinks she knows better than others of higher rankings because reasons??? And the way she’s always lying on folks and misconstruing what they said had me this close to finding a way to get into this book so I could box her myself.

I ain’t finishing the duology. First 1 star of the year and I’m glad to finally be done with this shit!!