4.5 ⭐ dang dude he wasn't lying it really was a storm of swords

martin took a LONG time walking us into the action in this one but once I was hooked I was hooked. so many stakes have changed, my head is still spinning

highlights: -2-for-1 murder weddings -2-for-1 weird-af found family combos -the stark sibling direwolves continue to be a source of immense joy to me, as do the stark siblings themselves

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC!

Traditionally, I have broken into hives every time I get anywhere near relationship drama of this caliber. Perhaps more than that, I don't super love reading books about melodrama generally. I don't like reading to watch people be punished for their mistakes, or spin their wheels as they resist change, even as their worlds come burning down around them. As I started, I was worried I wouldn't be the audience for it.

But... something about this really worked for me. Kass clearly started from a place of deeply loving the POV characters, which only helped me connect to them, despite how different they are. She's so interested in the timing of love (i.e. right person, wrong time, etc), and explores it in ways I don't necessarily agree with but that made me feel hopeful anyway. Simply put: I had a really fun time with this book, and I hope you do too.

dang I am a sucker for a sloooooow burn