Chris M

X Marks the Spot was the next book in the series for me, and it surprised me with how much I enjoyed it. I liked the mix of adventure, tension, and the slow shift in the relationship as things unfolded. Xave starting out by following Damon to see if he was involved in a plot to take out his frat added a great layer of suspicion and intensity.

What made their connection even more compelling is that Xave had never been into guys before Damon. That confusion, paired with the growing pull between them, made the emotional moments feel earned. I also connected with the possessiveness Xave shows toward Damon. It felt protective in a way that strengthened their bond, especially as they worked to figure out who was trying to kill Damon. Their chemistry grows quickly and adds to the sense of urgency between them.

Overall, it’s a fun, heartfelt read with characters you want to root for. I closed the book feeling satisfied and glad I picked it up.

A Court of Frost and Starlight was a nice companion novel that let me slip back into this world for a bit. I liked checking in on the Inner Circle and seeing everyone settle into life after everything they’ve been through. A few emotional moments landed for me, and it’s always easy to fall back in with these characters.

But it doesn’t feel very substantial. It reads more like a bridge between books than a story that stands on its own, and I kept wishing it would dig a little deeper or give me something more to hold onto. I may feel differently once I read A Court of Silver Flames, since this one clearly sets the stage for what comes next.

As a quiet return to Velaris, it works. It just didn’t leave a strong impression once I finished.

At first, Chasing Fields felt like it was taking its time finding its rhythm. Not in a bad way, more like the story was settling in slowly, letting me ease into Alex and Kai’s world before anything really cracked open. But once it did, once the truth of what Alex was living through with Connor started to surface, the entire book shifted. By the end, my heart was in pieces.

The way Alex's pain comes through feels so quiet and devastating. The way he tries to minimize it, the way he flinches from the idea that anyone might actually care, it’s heartbreaking because it feels so real. And Kai is the kind of character who makes you want to reach into the pages and just thank him. He doesn’t push, he doesn’t demand, he just shows up. Again and again. He wants so badly to help Alex carry the weight, even when Alex can barely admit how heavy it is.

The last stretch of the book is where everything hits hardest. Watching Alex unravel under the abuse he’s endured, and seeing Kai refuse to let him face it alone, turns what started as a slow burn into something deeply emotional and unexpectedly powerful. By the time I reached the final chapters, I wasn’t just invested, I was aching for them.

Chasing Fields leaves you sitting there afterward with that tight, aching feeling in your chest, the kind that makes you pause before you can even think about moving on. There’s relief in knowing Alex is finally stepping into the help he’s needed for so long, but it’s tangled up with this fierce, frustrated ache over everything he’s survived and everything Connor put him through. It’s tender and painful and hopeful all at once, the kind of story that shakes something loose inside you and stays with you long after the last page.

Fight or Flight was just straight‑up fun. Jace and Shane spend the first chunk of the book acting like they can’t be in the same room without snapping at each other, and then you start realizing… oh. Ohhh. That’s not hate at all. That’s something way more interesting.

Their whole vibe shifts in this really satisfying slow burn way. One minute they’re bristling, the next they’re accidentally soft with each other, and by then you’re fully invested. It’s messy in the best way, warm in the right spots, and honestly just a great ride watching them figure out what all that tension was actually about.