I devoured the first book in this duology. The sequel? Inhaled. The beautiful way this book was written. I feel so deeply connected to these characters and their journeys to simply survive. To wish for a world to be slightly less cruel to the people you love most and then fight with every breath to make it happen.

What I would give for a glimpse of where our heroes are after the dust settles. ( )

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶/4 (YA) - All fade to black YA level but the connection is electric

This is the second half of an incredible duology. We continue right where we left off from Book 1 and everything just keeps ramping up and all of the topics that were brought up in the first part of this story got an even deeper dive.

On gender identity and sexuality - Wyatt and Emyr both learn so much about themselves and each other in this second installment. From how they really feel about each other & the nature of their bond, to how they identify in so many different ways, this was a beautiful and complicated look into the minds of two teenagers who have to figure out who they are...all while trying to save their entire world. Just a bit of added stress right?

On family and friendships - Wyatt and Briar both go through quite the transformation in learning about themselves, each other, and how their relationship has evolved over the years. They needed things from each other when they met, and as they've grown those needs have changed... and so have their expectations on how their friendship and relationship should function. Getting to watch this evolution of how their own personal growth correlated to how they interacted with each other was so interesting and powerful. The character development for these two was staggeringly complex throughout the duology and one of the most intriguing parts for me. Not to mention ALL of the other side characters, but these two were the most special for me.

On social and societal issues - Oh right, this isn't just a book about friends and partners, oh no, there's also a war breaking out at the same time that threatens to tear apart the very way of life for the Fae and the Witches. We see so much growth from our main and supporting characters as they learn to navigate an increasingly hostile political reality, the breakdown of the fragile fae-witch relations, and the introduction of people from the other side of the door.

We go on an increasingly intense and at times dark journey to find peace and acceptance for all of the different kinds of beings in their world. It's a powerful story and one that not only left me guessing, but delivered a few punches to the gut and heart along the way. I highly recommend this duet. ( )