[A quick note: These are standard editions, however I sprayed the edges purple and they came out beautifully. They look custom. I love them. I also recently got a Rosie Thornes mug for KOTW that went perfectly with this photo. While this series doesn’t fully live up to the 5-star hype for me, it’s enjoyable, especially for anyone who likes romance heavy fantasy (me).]
“𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐮𝐬; 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐝𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐮𝐬.”—Kerri Maniscalco
If you want edge of your seat sexual tension, this one delivers! Picking up right where KOTW left off, Emilia must now navigate the underworld of hell and the seven houses of sin. She’s still out for blood, trying to determine the one responsible for killing her twin sister. But sometimes, the truth isn’t freeing.
I enjoyed this one more than the first. It jumps straight into the action, with plenty of angst between Emilia and Wrath. Most of the story is a cat and mouse game between them that keeps the plot moving quickly. There’s tons great of banter and snarky dialogue. And because Wrath is still keeping lots of secrets, Emilia is forced to find answers on her own. Doing so, she learns a little more about herself.
We get to see some of the houses of sin! I was happier with the world building this time around. Where the first book is set in a realistic setting, hell feels much more like a fantasy world, and perhaps that’s also why I enjoyed it more. It required more creativity, and I love how each house has its own territory. I also thought the sin corridor was pretty cool. Emilia had to traverse it at the beginning of the story and it tested her in many ways.
In terms of the plot drive, it felt a little weak, which is why I’m not quite giving it 5 stars. Most of the story was driving towards the feast, which was meant to be the climax of the book, but it didn’t feel like a whole lot happened between Emilia’s arrival and that final point. She made some minor headway in determining clues about her sister, learning how to use her magic more and protect herself, but I would have liked to see things move along more. Overall, I’d say the romance took front stage while the plot was a bit more background.
“𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐥 𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤, 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞.”—Kerri Maniscalco
Like the first book, there’s not a full resolution at the end. I wouldn’t say there’s a huge cliff hanger, but it’s still enough of an abrupt ending to leave you wanting more. And in my case, even a little frustrated at having to wait for the next book release.
This series is hyped. It’s a favorite. For YA, I think it’s a slam dunk for the age group with enough appeal for older adults who enjoy romance-fantasy to enjoy too. 𝐌𝐘 𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆:𝟒.𝟓/𝟓⭐️