by Emily A Duncan. Release Date 4/7/2020
3 Stars. Best enjoyed slowly, like a square of deep, dark chocolate.
Picking up the pieces left behind from the events in Wicked Saints and working to end the war between Kalyazin and Tranavia (one way or another), Nadya and Serefin find themselves at the brink of something big, dark, and more dangerous than they have ever done.
Serefin’s very sight, although not good to begin with, is changed after his experience in the temple and is now hosting a fallen god within him, while Nadya has been cut completely away from her gods and has been imbued with a strange, dark power that has scarred her hand and left her off-balance. However, despite these struggles, there is work to be done.
Someone in the court is trying to usurp Serefin’s throne.
Nadya must reconnect with her gods so she can fulfill her divine purpose as a cleric.
And the Black Vulture must be confronted before he destroys the world.
Overall I liked the story and I want to know how it ends. There were some very enjoyable parts throughout, such as the descent into the Black Vulture’s layer as well as the later portions of the book when they reach the forest where all hell breaks loose. The plot slowed a little in the middle but otherwise was intriguing. However, I felt that this one suffered a little from the problem that sometimes happens with constantly switching POVs where one is taken out of the story and has a hard time reconnecting. Because of this, it took me longer than I would like to admit to finish it. There are also portions later in the book where it feels like huge swaths of certain character’s stories are missing and it’s very disjointing, although it is certainly plausible that that is the whole point. The last third of the book takes on an interesting, ethereal quality after all. Also, if you’re looking at this for the romance aspect, prepare for that to fall a little short and just enjoy the ride.
I would recommend this to anyone who has read Wicked Saints. I think the story is still a good continuation, and it sets readers up for an explosive third installment!
Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for a fair review.
Always Lost in Words 