[A quick note: This set of editions is the LitJoy Crate editions and they came annotated by Laini which is AMAZING. Getting to read her insights into her writing elevated my reading experience. This duology is top notch. Itโs in the YA fantasy genre but can be enjoyed by all ages. Note: I tried to make this a spoiler-free review so that it wonโt spoil the first book for you.]
โ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ฉ๐จ๐ง ๐ ๐ญ๐ข๐ฆ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฐ๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ง๐ , ๐๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐๐ง ๐ ๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ, ๐๐ง๐ ๐ง๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ซ๐ฒ๐ญ๐ก๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ข๐ฌ ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ข๐.โ โLaini Taylor
This duology was PERFECTION. Absolute perfection. Muse of Nightmares surpassed my expectations and wildest dreams. It made me feel so much. I cried once in the first book, but in the second?? I cried TWICE! I almost never cry in books. With its gorgeous writing, fantastic characters, beautiful plot, theme, and conclusion, it lifted the bar on what it means to be a 5-star book.
I didnโt want Sarai and Lazloโs story end. Ever. When it did, my heart was so full. Iโm tearing up even a week later, as I write this review. The moment I closed the book, I was contemplating ordering the paperbacks just so that I could reread it immediately and start annotating every page! How often do you want to reread a book immediately after finishing it?? Thatโs pretty rare for me. I guarantee you I will be rereading this next year.
Laini Taylorโs writing blows me away. I wanted to highlight every single passage. Every sentence was woven beautifully proving that she is a wordsmith master. I found myself sighing, swooning, rereading passage after passage just to bask in the beauty. **sigh** I canโt even put it into words.
The plot had me GLUED to the couch. I couldnโt stop devouring chapter after chapter. This was a buddy read and I struggled to stick to our pace, wanting to race ahead. I loved the way everything played out, especially the last half of the book where there was tons of action. Laini ended it in such a way that lets you fantasize about all the future endeavors our characters will experience. GAHHH. Iโm getting fluttery just thinking about it.
Okay. BUT! The real star of the show is Lainiโs characters. OH. MY. GOD. She made me both hate and love the villains. They were so real, so multi-faceted, so flawed, but relatable and believable. How can she make my heart break for a character I was supposed to hate?! HOW?! I feel like she brainwashed me in the best way.
My favorite thing about these stories is that Laini wanted to create conflicts that could not be solved with violence. That was her biggest goal and theme throughout this duology. Rather than solving a problem by killing the villain, instead, her characters had to teach the villain to see the world differently. MIND BLOWN.
Read this duology. Itโs the best duology Iโve ever read. Seriously. Iโm obsessed with it. I canโt wait to dive into her DOSAB series now.
๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐: ๐/๐โญ๏ธ
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