“Fear is just a collection of physical responses.”
On my first reread I can still say I give this book 4 stars. I absolutely love this book and the world building.
Oraya our FMC is a stone cold killer WHOOP WHOOP but we get to experience her inner turmoil which I adore! I love when an FMC makes me feel like I could be bad ass too. Our homegirl is an absolute mess of anxiety on the inside, but she is freaking BAD ASS externally!! GIRL I WANNA BE YOU.
“If I was going to let myself be a spectacle, at least I’d be one that fucking meant something. …And I’d still find somewhere to put my daggers.”
The Kejari, the competition where this book is set, is absolutely brutal. So much death and lots of killing by our FMC, again she is a bad ass. Further on we meet our MMC Raihn and our lovely ray of sunshine Mische. I cannot wait to learn more about Mische and Raihn in book 2. Raihn really helped Oraya see that she can be who she is rather than turning into someone, or something else. The banter is endless between these two and I am here for it all the way!
“I’ve lived through some injustices in the last couple of centuries. Seen some fucking travesties. But one of the biggest, Oraya, is that anyone taught you that you should become anything other than exactly what you are.”
““I figured your stomach is probably as strong as your will.” I craned my neck to eye him. “And how strong is that?” He grinned and leaned close as he said into my ear, “Pure fucking steel. Obviously.” Obviously.”
I think my favorite thing about this book is Oraya’s relationship with her adoptive father Vincent. She is a human, raised by a vampire, taught to fear vampires but also to be stronger than them. I love how much she questions her upbringing when Raihn starts to point out certain things. I think the part of this book that absolutely broke my heart is that Oraya loves Vincent the father, but HATES Vincent the king. She has always split her father into two parts, and when others only get to see the King she is the only one left with the half that was loving.
This book is all about pointy things! GOODNESS thank you Broadbent for giving us some spice in this book! Oraya and Raihn are probably one of my favorite Fantasy couples. I mean they give Rhys and Feyra vibes!! I love that they connect on such a deep level. Oraya gets some of the answers to questions that were haunting her in book 1.
It was super satisfying for me to find out that Oraya was actually Vincents daughter. I think it brought her character together. It made her conflicting emotions for Vincent even more appreciated as a reader. Vincent stifled her to an incredible level. I agree with one of her later quotes about it being as horrific as depriving her of food or shelter. She was raised to be afraid of vampires. She thought of herself as weaker. In reality, that is half of her being.
I LOVED THAT ORAYA WAS FINALLY GIVEN SOME VAMPIRIC TRAITS!
“I never knew something could look so beautiful flying away.”
Obviously Raihn loved that too.
I totally got some Dumbledore/Harry vibes in Oraya and Vincents relationship throughout these first two books. In the rings that were guarding the God Blood, Oraya saw what Vincent was feeling. It reminded me of Snapes tears in the Pensieve. We also got this…
“I’m inventing you,” I whispered. “Because you’re what I want to see.” He lifted one shoulder in a delicate half-shrug. It was such a familiar movement, it made my breath stutter. “Perhaps,” he said. “Does it matter?”
Which totally reminds me of this quote: “Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry.” Why should that mean it isn’t real?
Overall I really liked this. I just realized when reading the author’s note that this is the end of Oraya and Raihn’s story. This is devastating to me. I hope our travels into the House of Shadow will be just as thrilling. I also hope it will be as exciting as the House of Night.
I love Mische don’t get me wrong, but this book took me a while to get into. Mische is such an optimist, and I am SO NOT. This got easier throughout the read, but it would come out of no where and I just had to take a lot of breaks and remind myself that I don’t have to interact with Mische in real life.
I tend to go for the snippy/bitchy FMC in general. That being said I LOVE Asar. He is dark and moody and quiet and I absolutely love him. Overall this book took a while for me to get into, but ended up being solid.
