My. Heart.
This series honestly has me beside myself. It’s not often I find one that gets better with each subsequent book, but the Kindred’s Curse series does exactly that and leaves me stunned every time.
The characters, once again, are everything. This doesn’t hold solely to the main characters either. The more minor characters are just as robust as the main one’s and I found myself loving every second of their appearances from one scene to another and just wanting more. Diem has come a long way since the first book, and I am so happy and satisfied with her character growth. At times her decisions have frustrated me (I’m looking at you Henri) but she has reached a point in the series where she does things more mindfully and has truly grown into her power and I love every minute of her being on the page.
And Luther. Ohh, dear Luther. He has been an immediate, dare I say, insta-love for me from the start and I just grow more obsessed with him by the minute. Does the slow burn between Luther and Diem get to me sometimes? HOLY MOLY does it ever. But all the waiting is worth it for the intense moments of connection and chemistry between the two of them and I cannot get enough of their relationship. Luther is the protective, I’ll make the world burn if you touch her, swoon-worthy male lead that I for one dream of and I am smitten every time he appears on the page. More please.
Taran and Alixe deserve a mention too. I am so invested in their happiness and continued survival as they are such well-rounded, incredible characters in their own rights. Taran is the never serious, jokester with so much heart and golden retriever energy and I adore him. Alixe is a badass, incredibly strong individual who would die for her Queen and is loyal to the end in defending Diem with everything she has. They are such distinctive personalities, and I am so happy they played such a big role in this book because I never wanted them to be absent (well except perhaps to give Luther and Diem some much needed time along together). Let’s not forget Sorae as well because to be perfectly honest, this gryvern is the real MVP and she has my heart completely.
This book is THICK but it feels like absolutely nothing because the pages just fly by. I was so immersed in the story that it felt like it was over much faster than a book of its size should be. There is never a dull moment in the plot and there are moments of intrigue that leave the reader with both questions and theories throughout the course of the novel which makes it even harder to stop once started.
And did I mention how emotional it is? I swear it had my emotions swinging from one extreme to the other constantly. From deeply felt scenes that would have me tearing up, and I did not expect how often this happened, to scenes that would have me absolutely grinning with delight, smiling like a maniac as I sat there reading. There were even moments that literally gave me chills they were so poignant, breathless at the sheer imagery of the scene and what was taking place. In particular there’s a scene involving Sorae and Diem, as well as others, flying and fighting for their lives that I won’t go into details on that had me breaking out in chills it was so incredibly cinematic. This scene was god tier, and if you know, you know.
Another thing Penn Cole is insanely talented at is the art of the slow burn. And not even just in the romance, which, let’s be real has been the slowest slow burn to slow burn in the history of slow burns. She also has this skill with creating the slow burn effect when it comes to essential information that is going to, and needs to be, revealed, but somehow it’s pushed back to halfway through the book before the characters finally manage to spit it out. And as frustrating as it is to have this information kept from you as a reader, it somehow works without seeming forced. So I’m equal parts frustrated that I’m not getting the information I desperately want to know, but also impressed that the author manages to keep hinting at it, but keep it just out of the readers grasp without ruining the book. The torture is real.
Anyway I’ll be over her reeling over this beautiful beast of a book, weeping over so many events that took place and trying to come to terms with the sheer destruction my heart has gone through countless times throughout this massive novel. Waiting for the last one is going to be unbearable but very much worth it. Excuse me while I nurse a nasty book hangover. Ohh, and please read this series. It has easily become one of my favourite.
