It’s a good enough entry into the world and reads like watching anime. However, the audiobook narration is so monotonous that I almost dnf’d the book. There’s very light smut that you don’t see until almost the end of the book so up until then, I thought this was ya

It’s short and good palette cleanse but IPB has better world building and smut

The best part about this book is when I closed it. I don’t know the writing ended worse than the first AND the plot was literally all over the place. Plot twists were used to try to make the story intriguing but it ended completely derailing it instead

It’s not as good as the original trilogy. I feel bad for saying because I know the authors struggled with this story and then were bullied on the internet by “fans” but that doesn’t stop it from being true. Though this story focuses on side characters I feel like I spent most of my time being reminded what happened in the previous trilogy as way to endear me to these characters. Instead of liking them organically from being exposed to their pov

This has got to be my favorite book of the year so far. The writing and world-building are phenomenal — I can’t remember the last time a book actually taught me so many new words! You can truly feel and see the depth of research that went into this story, especially in how it weaves Roman culture into the backbone of its world-building. The characters are richly layered, the political intrigue is masterfully plotted, and the slow-burn tension keeps you on the edge of your seat. Every single plot twist caught me completely by surprise — I’ve never read a book that has shocked me like this at every turn. It’s the kind of book that lingers in your mind long after you turn the last page — thought-provoking, immersive, and absolutely unforgettable.