I knew I loved Levenseller's writing style, but I didn't expect to love this one this much. It was the perfect read. Not because it was overly nuanced or complex, but because it hit so hard emotionally. These characters were so realistic, so relatable. It almost hurt to read.
Starting off with Ziva. She was a character we don't usually see in books. She was anxious, not the typical power heroine (think Aelin, Jude, Alessandra, etc.) She was even more loveable for that difference. She had elements every one of us contains. She was shy, quiet, scared of rejection, scared to be noticed, scared to be anyone. As someone who's also shy, although not to the same degree, i loved having a character like this. Her anxiety didn't prevent her from finding her group, from being someone worth loving. She was both relatable and inspiring. She reminded me of what I could be. She alone had me hooked on the book, but that love only grew as this continued.
Another character I really loved was Kellyn. At the beginning, he seems like the stereotypical YA love interest. Tall, strong, brooding, powerful. But he was so much more than that. As we got to know him, I found myself connecting to him. His fear of vulnerability, his fear to connect to anyone, all of it struck a chord in me. He was another defiance of the character archetypes, and I loved him for it.
Before I branch off into raving about the found family aspects, I feel like I also have to address the bond between Temra and Ziva. I loved it so much. Even more so because they weren't perfect. It wasn't smooth sailing between them. They had their squabbles, they had their fights. But they never failed to reconnect after them, and those fights just made their connection 10x stronger. Watching them support each other throughout the book was one of my favorite things. Every time one of them stumbled, the other was right there to back her up. So many times YA books have the 'evil sibling' and I'm so happy this one avoided that.
On top of the amazing familial connections, this one also did a great job of building a found family. Petrik, Kellyn, Temra, and Ziva were so perfect for each other. The banter between them never failed to lighten a moment, and they never failed to back each other up. It was a different dynamic from other found families we see, but one I loved just as much.
And finally, I loved the magic system in this one. The creations Ziva could forge were stunning, and such a clever way to build conflict. Especially as the magic system continues to build throughout the next book. I can't wait to see what else is to come as we're introduced to more magic wielders.
This is a longer review than I normally write, but this book deserved every bit of it and more. It was amazing, and I can't wait to dive into the next one.
Starting off with Ziva. She was a character we don't usually see in books. She was anxious, not the typical power heroine (think Aelin, Jude, Alessandra, etc.) She was even more loveable for that difference. She had elements every one of us contains. She was shy, quiet, scared of rejection, scared to be noticed, scared to be anyone. As someone who's also shy, although not to the same degree, i loved having a character like this. Her anxiety didn't prevent her from finding her group, from being someone worth loving. She was both relatable and inspiring. She reminded me of what I could be. She alone had me hooked on the book, but that love only grew as this continued.
Another character I really loved was Kellyn. At the beginning, he seems like the stereotypical YA love interest. Tall, strong, brooding, powerful. But he was so much more than that. As we got to know him, I found myself connecting to him. His fear of vulnerability, his fear to connect to anyone, all of it struck a chord in me. He was another defiance of the character archetypes, and I loved him for it.
Before I branch off into raving about the found family aspects, I feel like I also have to address the bond between Temra and Ziva. I loved it so much. Even more so because they weren't perfect. It wasn't smooth sailing between them. They had their squabbles, they had their fights. But they never failed to reconnect after them, and those fights just made their connection 10x stronger. Watching them support each other throughout the book was one of my favorite things. Every time one of them stumbled, the other was right there to back her up. So many times YA books have the 'evil sibling' and I'm so happy this one avoided that.
On top of the amazing familial connections, this one also did a great job of building a found family. Petrik, Kellyn, Temra, and Ziva were so perfect for each other. The banter between them never failed to lighten a moment, and they never failed to back each other up. It was a different dynamic from other found families we see, but one I loved just as much.
And finally, I loved the magic system in this one. The creations Ziva could forge were stunning, and such a clever way to build conflict. Especially as the magic system continues to build throughout the next book. I can't wait to see what else is to come as we're introduced to more magic wielders.
This is a longer review than I normally write, but this book deserved every bit of it and more. It was amazing, and I can't wait to dive into the next one.