I loved blood trails and was so excited to start this. However I found the middle frustrating. Mostly because Ikenna is immature. But also because she doesn’t get to evolve or learn about her abilities in a believeable way. It’s just poof your stronger now. I did love the world building, magic, and gods.

I liked that Ikenna showed her anger and the character was allowed to have fury. As a woman so often I feel like if I show emotion people decide everything I have to say is meaningless. That being said Ikenna is angry and dumb in a lot of places. And it aggravated me. I needed to see more character development in the middle of the book. It took a while for the wisdom to start to show. I mean this part: goddess: “you have your commune to get strong”. Ikenna: “nah I’m good” ok maybe she will train? NOPE! Maybe she’ll work with the plan? NOPE!! What about the next plan? NOPE!!! (To be fair i couldn’t watch my partner die either tho) it’s just the lack of character development was aggravating. I almost DNF. I’m glad I didn’t. The book finished stronger and Ikenna started to think more.

Speaking of development I loved Ikenna and Reed’s relationship, but gods did I need more. We got some in the beginning that I ate up and then it just stopped. I get it, they are at war. But I felt like there could be more moments squeezed in. And also two books in a row I get early sex scenes and then again it’s just gone. There is a chance for a second one on the war table and it fades to black! Wtf!!! That scene started out so hot!

Oh and while the author was good at setting up a sex scene, the actual playing out of the sex needed some work to me. First off it didn’t feel believable. Like they go back to back to back no down time? I get they are chipped but geez. She had to swat his hand away? Also why so much boob play but just jumps over other aspects? Some of the descriptions of what they were doing didn’t play out in my head either. These issues just took me out of the immersion, which is a damn shame since it has strong aspects.

And the WORST thing about this book is they killed Haynes! Why!!! He was my favorite. He didn’t even get a good death. I almost DNF againnnnn! (In my head cannon Ikenna eventually forces a god/goddess to bring Haynes back and he gets to live happily ever after with Dannica)

I am psyched about Grayson and Caimen’s relationship tho. I wanted to see more of it! And I loved Caimen’s character growth.

Also the author is so mean to Ikenna. Literally nothing goes the way she needs it to. I got so much whiplash lash from this book because nothing was straight forward. And it felt less like a plot twist and more like a slap in the face. Maybe cause it happened so much? I’m bruised either way.

My feelings are so mixed about this book. Book 1 was so good and the whole series has so many good things about it! I really want a book 3 to blow me away and resolve these mixed feelings (and the story)! But sadly this is the end.

This book isn’t bad. But it could have been so much better and I think that’s what was the hardest part.

(Ps I may have spelled names wrong. It’s so late and I’m so tired you will have to forgive me)