Bungulover

I was expecting a romantic fantasy, but this felt more like an “erotic fantasy”—is that a genre? There’s quite a lot of sexual content and not much actual romance.

Overall, it was okay—especially toward the end, but I felt a bit lost in the world-building (or the lack of it) and overwhelmed by the side cast.

I’m guessing that’s because I haven’t read the previous YA series in the same world.

At first it was as a cute, cozy read, but I started losing interest once the suffrage survivor character appeared. The story didn’t engage me as much after that point, because it revolves too much around a new character I didn’t even care about.

Overall, the dialogue was sparse, especially in the beginning, with a lot of descriptions. The love interest was a rather uninteresting, quiet man.

Finally, I found the pronouns and adjectives used for the cactus in the Spanish version a bit confusing, which made it harder to follow at times.

I'm starting to notice a clear pattern in many of these so-called cozy fantasy books: there's usually an emphasis on sweets, tea or coffee, a touch of nature, strong inclusivity themes (often with prominent LGBTQ+ representation), and a recurring moral of "do the right thing for the community." While I can see the appeal for some readers, especially younger, it’s beginning to feel formulaic to me, and sometimes even a bit forced.

I was just looking for a break from high-stakes, violent fantasy; something lighter, but still within the genre. Unfortunately, this particular pattern of cozy fantasy just isn’t for me. I guess I’ll have to look elsewhere.

3 stars. A Mix of Good and Bad.

I gave “The Serpent and the Wings of Night” 4.5 stars.

I understand that the implications of the ending in Book 1 are complex, and it wouldn’t be realistic for the FMC to simply move on after that event.

However, the repercussions of that made me grow to dislike both main characters for a good part of the book. The love-hate dynamic and their muddled morals felt unclear and uncomfortable, and I couldn’t root for them the way I did in Book 1.

Overall, it was a bit boring to me—I’m not sure exactly why. Beyond the interactions between the main characters, there were the politics, the preludes, and the repetitive phrases like “there she is” (which, in Spanish, was translated as “esa es mi chica,” and honestly sounded really icky). The whole “quest for the Holy Grail” plot felt flimsy, especially with how convenient everything became around the 70% mark.

The ending was satisfying, thankfully. However, it didn’t leave me wanting to continue with the rest of the series.

I’m torn. It’s certainly an interesting story that kept me hooked, with great characters, but it was also painfully slow, with a lot of “filler”.

It ends on a completely open-ended note, offering no closure whatsoever.

I’m especially frustrated with the final twist. Seriously, another Tamlin? Rurik is even more similar: turning into a beast, locking doors, the whole thing. I was loving this character and expected more positive development between him and Saga, so his actions at the end were very disappointing. I’m genuinely sad that Saga continues to be ana bird in a cage after everything. It left me feeling pretty pessimistic.

The Good:

• The introduction of Saga.

• The slow-burn romance between Silla and Rey.

• The magic system and world-building.

The Bad:

• The endless Jonas POV chapters—I just didn’t want to be in his head anymore. His chapters were repetitive and dragged the pace down.

• Not a single appearance from the other Bloodaxe Crew characters. That felt like a letdown.

• Very few answers and way too many new questions. How many books is this series going to have?

• The graphic and often grotesque descriptions were a bit much for me—borderline disgusting at times.

• Almost every male character is either evil, abusive, or both.

Honestly, I’m actually relieved the third book isn’t out yet, because I don’ think I would have the energy to keep reading this story. I don’t know if I will continue.

Road of Bones: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Kingdom of Claw: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I get why this book is so popular. The plot is engaging, the characters are great, and I was hooked the whole way through. This is a book for escapism, to be entertained—and it delivers on that really well. The world-building was quite interesting and different.

The only reason I’m not giving it five stars is the cringe. Some moments were so awkward they made my eyes bleed, and the spice scenes were poorly written.

Saeris, the FMC, was getting on my nerves at the beginning—saying and doing so many stupid things. Kingfisher, the shadow daddy here, is of course super hot and mysterious (though I’m not a fan of his famous dirty talk 😆). I was suffering, hoping he could be saved from his curse. 💔 At one point, I was a bit worried he might be changing too much and getting too soft all of a sudden. I’m still not sure if the romance will stay interesting after this book.

Carrion Swift made me laugh out loud—he was the best 🤣. I also really enjoyed Archer, the fire spirit, and I wish he had more page time.

I felt that there are a lot of similarities with the ACOTAR first 2 books, but as of this first book, I actually prefer how things are handled here—especially the specifics of the mate bond. At least in this world, there’s room for free will and rejection, which makes a big difference.

Can’t wait for the next book.