German and english review (spoiler cause I will post the summary but my actual review is spoilerfree)

audible // Netgalley ebook ARC

Inhalt: Wo Leben ist, ist Hoffnung

Das Martialenimperium steht am Abgrund: Imperator Marcus überzieht das Land mit dem Blut der Unschuldigen, während Blutgreif Helena diese zu schützen versucht. Weit im Osten weiß Laia, dass sie den Nachtbringer aufhalten muss, und das ohne Elias. Denn Elias ist nun als Seelenfänger an die Zwischenstatt, das Geisterreich, gebunden. Dazu verdammt, einer uralten Macht bedingungslos zu dienen - auch wenn dies bedeutet, die Frau aufzugeben, die er liebt.

Meine Bewertung: Die Bücher werden besser und besser!!!

Die Serie wird mehr und mehr zu meiner absoluten Lieblingsserie. So so so verdammt gut. Der Schreibstil ist einfach so verdammt gut. Dann hab ich nebenbei auch das Hörbuch gehört und die Sprecher machen die Sache einfach so so so so gut.

Und die Charaktere. Sie sind inzwischen meine Babies. Außer Elias, ich werde mit ihm einfach nicht wirklich warm und das hat sich in dem Band nicht wirklich geändert. Aber ich liebe Laia, ich liebe Helena. Livia. Harper. Ich liebe die vielen verschiedenen Beziehungen zwischen all den Charakteren.

Alles in allem war das Buch wirklich unglaublich gut, ich hab ein bisschen gebraucht bis ich reingefunden habe, weil es schon eine Weile her ist seit ich das zweite Buch gelesen habe. Aber es war wieder voller Action, es war voll von Wendungen. Es war großartig!!!

***

Summary: Beyond the Empire and within it, the threat of war looms ever larger.

The Blood Shrike, Helene Aquilla, is assailed on all sides. Emperor Marcus, haunted by his past, grows increasingly unstable, while the Commandant capitalizes on his madness to bolster her own power. As Helene searches for a way to hold back the approaching darkness, her sister's life and the lives of all those in the Empire hang in the balance.

Far to the east, Laia of Serra knows the fate of the world lies not in the machinations of the Martial court, but in stopping the Nightbringer. But while hunting for a way to bring him down, Laia faces unexpected threats from those she hoped would aid her, and is drawn into a battle she never thought she'd have to fight.

And in the land between the living and the dead, Elias Veturius has given up his freedom to serve as Soul Catcher. But in doing so, he has vowed himself to an ancient power that will stop at nothing to ensure Elias's devotion--even at the cost of his humanity.

My review: These books keep getting better and better!!!

This series is slowly but surely becoming one of my favorites. So so so damn good. The writing was just incredible. I also listened to the audiobook while reading and the people reading did such an amazing job.

And the characters. They have become my babies. Except for Elias, I just don't like him that much, he's just not doing anything for me, and that didn't change with this book. But I love Laia, I love Helene. Livia. Harper. I love all the different relationships that these characters have.

All in all, I truly loved this book, it took me a bit to get into it, cause it feels like ages since I read the second book. But there was so much action, there were so many twists and turns. It was amazing!!!

I remembered being really excited for this book after finishing A Torch Against The Night but then I did not pick it up directly after it came out. I also thought I would read this really fast but I also took my time reading it. I could not totally focus on this book and I can’t say why. Not because it was bad or I was not interested in the story but I was not into it as much as I would have liked to. I think it was a bad time for me to read this and I should have picked up a lighter book (that is what I did right after though). Still, I enjoyed this book!

I think this book was my least favourite of the three because I was not happy with what happens to Elias in it. I am actually kind of sad and furious about his storyline. However, after the events of the last book I was expecting to see less of Helene Aquilla and it was a great surprise to see that she was so present in the book. I love her character and I think she is really interesting. She was less torn between staying faithful to the Empire and helping Elias in this book but the poor girl has a lot of bad things happening to her. I feel like Laia wa also way less present in this book but I did not really care. I can’t say why but I am not a fan of her.

The storyline was not predictable and full of surprising events. I just think that it was a bit too slow sometimes.

This book was massive and it took me a lot of time to read it but I still really enjoyed it and I will definitely read the next one.

How do I convey the beautifully succinct writing by the venerable Mrs. Sabaa Tahir without gushing incoherently?!? I'll try my best... here goes...

If you haven't already started this series I HIGHLY recommend you do so immediately. It is an affirmation of Hope and ceaseless Possibility in the face of dire, desperate circumstances... a theme that is extremely poignant due to the chaotic/ uncertain times we currently live in. From the very start we are dropped off right into the chaos where A Torch Against the Night left off. The pacing was perfect. There were twists and betrayals and bloodshed... Oh My!!

The characters were rich and nuanced. They felt like old friends/nemesis you have grown to love and love to hate. They were crafted magnificently. True to the dichotomy of real life personas, each one was depicted as varying shades of grey. I loathe characters that are drawn either purely White or starkly Black... BRING ON THE GRADIENTS BABY!!! Mrs. Tahir manages to make you feel empathy and compassion for the antagonists (after seeing what lead them down the path toward hatred and wickedness). I felt conflicted (as I'm sure you will see) as to who was the "victim" and who the evildoers...for all had claim to both... and really, isn't that the mark of a well written, truly visceral hero/villain?? The multiple POVs worked. They played off of the next person's arc so skillfully that I was saddened each time a chapter came to an end. Elias's role, on the other hand, felt like fodder... or the sticky icky pie filler that could have easily been left out (if not for his usefulness in the last quarter of the book). It felt like he was used as a means to move things along in places that needed a quick plot progression That was a little sad since he was, and should continue to be, an integral player...imho.

This installment was multifaceted. It boasted nefarious jinn, mischiviously violent ghosts, seers/Augurs, a smattering of warlocks, a tiny dallop of romance, twisty reveals and LOADS of bloody vengeance. What else can you possibly want in a book?? It's a gritty book in a heart wrenching series and I love every single word of it!! I will continue to shout its praise from the mountaintops.... mountaintops I say and I truly, deeply, infatically believe you will too. Go ahead, prove me wrong, I'd love to read all about it.

~Enjoy

Per FictFact.com's Book Release Calendar:

A Baby for the Viking Wolf - Gwen Knight  #42 in Howls Romance
A Reaper at the Gates - Sabaa Tahir   #3 in An Ember in the Ashes
Ace of Shades - Amanda Foody  #1 in The Shadow Game
Angels Fall - J.A. Huss, Johnathon McClain #2 in Original Sin
At the Table of Wolves Kay Kenyon #1 in Dark Talents
Bad Neighbors Maia Chance #2 in Agnes & Effie Mystery
Bull of the Woods Ainsley Booth, Sadie Haller #5 in Frisky Beavers
Close Cover - Lexi Blake  #16 in Masters and Mercenaries
Corey Dale Mayer #16 in Seals of Honor
Cyborg Fever Grace Goodwin #5 in Interstellar Brides: The Colony
Dead Weight Pandora Pine #4 in Cold Case Psychic
Edge of Insanity S E Smith #6 in Alliance
Farewell, My Cuckoo Marty Wingate #4 in Birds of a Feather Mystery
For Love of Distant Shores Adrian Tchaikovsky #3 in Tales of the Apt
Her Guardian Angel - Larissa Ione  #14 in Demonica #15.5 in Masters and Mercenaries
His to Claim Shelly Bell #2 in Forbidden Lovers
His to Protect Carly Phillips #3 in Bodyguard Bad Boys
Homecoming By The Sea Kathi Daley #1 in Haunting By The Sea
Inquisition David Gibbins #10 in Jack Howard
Isle of Blood and Stone Makiia Lucier #1 in Isle of Blood and Stone
Justify Me J. Kenner #4.5 in Stark International
Lord of the Pies Nell Hampton #2 in Kensington Palace Chef
Mafioso 3 Nisa Santiago #2 in Mafioso
Magi, Vol. 29: The Labyrinth of Magic Shinobu Ohtaka #29 in Magi
Masked Desire Alana Delacroix #2 in The Masked Arcana
Misadventures of a Rookie Toni Aleo #12 in Misadventures
Natural Mage K. F. Breene #2 in Magical Mayhem
Nightblade's Honor Ryan Kirk #2 in Blades of the Fallen
Nothing to Gain Claire Boston #2 in The Blackbridge Series
Rafe Maryann Jordan #2 in Heroes At Heart
Rebellion's Fury Jay Allan #2 in Flames of Rebellion
Rescuing Sadie Susan Stoker #6.5 in Delta Force Heroes
River of Fire Erin Hunter #5 in Warriors: A Vision of Shadows
Say You Won't Let Go Corinne Michaels #3.5 in Return to Me
Shoot First Stuart Woods #45 in Stone Barrington
Skyjack K. J. Howe #2 in Thea Paris
Sunny Jason Reynolds #3 in Track
Taste of Wrath Matt Wallace #7 in Sin Du Jour
The Cowboy's Outlaw Bride Cora Seton #2 in Turners Vs Coopers
The Crooked Castle Sarah Jean Horwitz #2 in Carmer and Grit
The Cutting Edge Jeffery Deaver #14 in Lincoln Rhyme
The Dark Clouds Shining David Downing #4 in Jack McColl
The Fairies of Sadieville Alex Bledsoe #6 in Tufa
The Fates Divide Veronica Roth #2 in Carve the Mark
The Gate House Secret Debra Burroughs #4 in Jenessa Jones Mysteries
The Heroic Legend of Arslan Vol. 8 Hiromu Arakawa #8 in The Heroic Legend of Arslan
The Neon Boneyard Craig Schaefer #8 in Daniel Faust
The Shadow of Death Jane Willan #1 in A Sister Agatha and Father Selwyn Mystery
The Thief - J.R. Ward   #16 in Black Dagger Brotherhood
The Third Brother Andrew Welsh-Huggins #5 in Andy Hayes
The Year of Us Jessica Sorensen #4 in Sunnyvale
Twenty-One Days - Anne Perry  #1 in Daniel Pitt
Twenty-One Days Anne Perry #33 in Thomas Pitt
Who Gives a Hoot? Jacqueline Kelly #3 in Calpurnia Tate, Girl Vet
Winter Glass Lexa Hillyer #2 in Spindle Fire