This amazing fantasy was a 4.9/5 stars! The dark themes were done so well and I really enjoyed the ride. I can’t wait to start the sequel tonight. Some would categorize this as young adult since she’s 18 but it didn’t feel YA to me.
Here’s my live thoughts while reading:
The prologue is from Nonna’s point of view, where a ritual is taking place. I’m unsure of her relationship with her twin granddaughters but they all might be witches. The girls seem entranced by the legends of the seven princes of hell but they may not be myth after all.
Well halfway through the prologue it switches to both twins’ point of view. So hopefully the head hopping isn’t a pattern but I love the end quote, “It was the first of many secrets the twins would keep from each other. And would prove deadly for one.”
Chapter 1 begins ten years later. And I’m so excited that it’s set in Sicily, Italy. I wonder why Emilia gets to be the heroine instead of her twin sister Vitoria. What sets them apart? Is it the power she gained at age 8? Or something different?
I’m so glad that food is a large component to set the tone and so far my mouth has watered three times from the delicious descriptions.
When chapters end with “first sign of the horror to come…” confuses me for the point of view. Like is this character retelling her past to us readers?
So Emilia says she doesn’t believe an ounce of the superstitions yet she seems awfully worried so I can’t tell how much is sarcasm or denial. Plus, if the fate of the world basically lies in the amulets then why did they leave the power of its destruction in the hands of eight year olds?
And why are they so worried a full ten years later? Were they not worried three years after the incident or seven years after? Why now?
I’m getting major Serpent and Dove vibes so far.
Oh man. The monastery scene was vividly disturbing in the best of ways. Yikes. Nightmares might chase me tonight. Her responses felt halfway realistic and halfway accepting too soon.
I didn’t expect this to be a murder mystery to solve type of plot.
Oh my ever-luvin-demons! The first scene with Wrath is spectacularly written.
Oooh! Why does she need to pick a house? What legends are true? I need to know about the heart. And what’s in the diary? Who is also hunting her and why? This book is amazing!
Chapter 17 was all over the place with Emilia’s guesses which is good because it gives the reader a lot of options to consider. Some of them feel a bit forced, like the author is trying to direct me to think a certain way or misguide me. Also, I found it stupid that she wrote down her questions as evidence for someone else to find.
Why didn’t Vittoria entrust her with these secrets? Ever was she trying to achieve?
I love that she’s saying “no” to so many offers. But there seems to be more questions arising with each new introduction/meeting. And there’s no way to know if the information she is obtaining is truth or not. And isn’t she wasting away her 3 day summoning instead of using that to her advantage?
What I love is how unpredictable this is.
I love that she keeps doing the opposite of what everyone warns her not to do. Sometimes I feel like she’s jumping to conclusions too quickly without being confused or asking more questions or thinking of other answers. Like the author knows the answer and has the character say it before the reader is ready.
Halfway through this book I’m absolutely mesmerized but the extensive questions are starting to get a little tiresome.
The fact that Wrath knows where she lives shouldn’t be a surprise to her at all so that cliffhanger didn’t hit the mark.
I’m not liking that he is sending her clothes or dressing her up like a doll or saying that what she’s wearing isn’t good enough.
Well, Anir surely stirred up the pot with that info!
So, sometimes the events are too conveniently placed in the story. Like Aper is mentioned and the next scene it’ll show up. I’d rather have little breadcrumbs along the way to surprise me.
I’m wondering if just once she will heed a warning.
The ending was awesomely prepping me to immediately read the second book!!! I wasn’t surprised by the ultimate villain and definitely want more of this story
Frustrations:
Sometimes the transitions from the end of one chapter to the beginning of the next feels abrupt for setting changes. There’s almost too many fantastical creatures thrown in randomly now. Why is the vampire needed? The “break” she is granted in the climatic scene doesn’t feel realistic.
If you’d like to read a different fantasy romance trilogy start with preordering Scorched, which comes out in March for a rapid release of the Linked Trilogy.
Cassie Swindon 