You know that feeling when you pick up a book and you know it’s one that you’re going to think about for months to come? This. Is. It. The second installment of the Talons series is probably one of the best sequels I’ve read. There’s political intrigue as Lina gathers supporters to take down the Blackbloods, there’s sneaking around in the night, there’s new characters like Seojin and Isuel. There’s good old-fashioned badass revenge. It’s angsty, it’s tense, it’s badass

In other fantasy books I’ve read characters get knocked down a peg in the sequel as if they had reached the height of their power or skill in the first installment, but The Wrath of the Talons genuinely had me in fear for what Lina is going to become in the best way possible. I feel like we get to know her more as a person, and the internal monologue she has is so compelling. The first part of this book has turned Lina into a comfort character for me. She’s allowed to chase her rage and fulfill her promise of revenge in whatever way she deems fit, but she’s also battling with these ideas of whether vengeance can be righteous. I just love how much Lina gets to feel her emotions. She experiences insecurities, she experiences sadness, she gets to experience her own unfettered rage, all of it is so beautiful to read. This is what makes the second half of the novel so difficult to read, as she’s snuffed beneath the weight of internal demons and a Voice who’s taken her own body from her.

I love the way the Imugi have slowly snuck into her life, and the conflict between choosing them or remaining a free agent fits so well into this theme of Lina being told what to do vs making her own decisions. The times when she does go a bit more ‘darkside’ are completely justified, from a plot standpoint and from her emotional standpoint. She’s been mulling over atonement, what it means to be ‘good’, but Lina’s also flirting with more dangerous ways of finding revenge.

I loved the set-up for the love between Rui and Lina in the first book, but this solidified it completely. Their relationship is SO complicated, but it feels so tangible (if at times angsty). I really loved the slow burn of the first novel into this one, and rather than calling it “enemies to lovers” I feel like Sophie Kim has introduced me to my new favorite trope that I’m calling “diametrically opposed lovers”, silly yes, but I feel like it completely captures the Imugi/Dokkaebi conflict and how Rui and Lina fit into that. Their relationship is tense but important, and it becomes more complicated as the ‘dark voice’ preys on Lina’s insecurities. I cannot WAIT to see where this goes, even if I’m terrified of what comes of it. I just hope that in the final installment Lina maintains her characterization and has the willpower to get back up to fight the Imugi one more time.

Thank you to Entangled Teen for this arc! All opinions are my own. I cannot even begin to express how excited I am to read the final book of this series.

Wrath of the Talon is book two in the Talon series. We follow Shin Lina, the Reaper of Sunpo, as she endeavours to take revenge on those who have wronged her. The Imugi venom in her veins is making her stronger and stealthier, but there's a small dark voice in the back of her head that keeps growing and forcing her to do things that she doesn't want to do.

I don't really know how to feel about this one. Overall, I still loved it, but there were some little things that bothered me compared to book one.

Lina has finally escaped from Kalmin's control, but her need for revenge and the dark voice whispering in her ear are a catalyst for destruction. There are small moments of peace with her younger sister and Rui which are delightful and I can only wish that we got more of them (given the nature of the book as the plot thickens, that was to be unlikely anyway). Rui and Lina are caught in a deadly power game where there is more than just their relationship tying them together, but the outcome for them is unclear.

Lina's emotions are cause for some of her more dangerous decision making in the story, which felt a bit at odds with her character in the first book. The dark voice is obviously causing some of that, but I would have liked more reflection on what actions were Lina's and what were not hers later in the book where the lines are a bit blurred. Despite being the main character, I found her to be a bit insufferable towards the end of the book - but again, it's not always her, so I can't really say she's the insufferable one.

Overall, I love that Lina was getting her revenge, I feel so sad for Rui throughout this whole story, the ending is absolutely heartbreaking, and I can't wait for the next one to meet back up with these characters.

Thank you to Entangled Teen for an e-arc of Wrath of the Talon! All opinions are my own.

This book was a great continuation to the series. It was very well written and the magic system is amazing. It is a very heartbreaking book. But it is also enjoyable.

'Wrath of the Talon' is a wonderful sequel to an equally splendid debut!

This book exceeded my expectations & it was an amazing continuation to the trilogy!

Lina as a protagonist belongs in the category of female leads that I enjoy reading about and after witnessing her struggles & strength, I appreciate her even more!

This book is incredibly angsty & heartbreaking and I was shedding tears by the time I finished!

I look forward to the next book!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The second installment in the Talon series is a million times better than the first book. Sophie Kim not only expands on the Korean mythology from book one but also takes epic measures with the character development of Lina. She goes from a bland repetitive child to a dark, crafty, and skilled assassin. The best part of the book, watching Lina’s development and what comes with it makes for a better storyline and liking of her character. I absolutely loved this book and can’t wait for the final installment to see how Lina’s story ends.

After her triumphant return to Sunpo, her sister safe from her enemy’s reach, Shin Lina carefully plots her revenge as she plucks apart the Blackblood empire piece by piece. But something is happening to Lina, a Voice that speaks to her and abilities that are more Imugi than human begin to over take her. Her relationship with Rui will be tested as she finds herself drowning in ideas of vengeance and the rise of her new empire.

I like the way that this book dealt with mental health. The descriptions of my anxiety attacks were spot on, and the Prophecy voicing Lina’s inner insecurities were a great way to bring them to the forefront. Its rare to find such a realistic protagonist, even in a fantasy novel, but Lina’s inner battle and struggle make her relatable.

The relationship between her and Rui doesn’t necessarily deepen, as Lina is hardly in control of herself in part two and he is actively plotting against her. The issue of trust between them is irrevocably broken. I’m not sure how they will recover in book 3. I did, however, enjoy the addition of the red string of fate and them being “soul-stitched.” I am guessing this will be the answer to him saving her later on.

I LOVED Iseul! She was fiery and playful. The foreshadowing for her character was a bit heavy handed (I guessed she was a guhimo way before it was revealed) but I still enjoyed her scenes immensely, especially her relationship with Seojin.

What a twist of an ending though! Just when you thought everything was going to wrap up nicely Sophie Kim jusg had to throw a wrench into it! I look forward to seeing how everything is resolved in book 3!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
4.5/5 STARS

Genre: Upper YA Fantasy Asian mythology

This is book 2 in a trilogy. I did enjoy Last of the Talons a bit more, but this one is still good in its own way.
In this sequel, it focuses on Lina and her new found body/ability as she fights her inner demons while seeking revenge for the murder of her friends, The Talons.

This had a darker side to it and is more upper YA than the first book. Rui is a still involved and there as a romance, but he takes more of a backseat in this one. Lina’s “dark voice” she hears is a mystery surrounding the entire book. There is a little less adventure and romance & is more about developing Lina’s character to set up for the finale.
The end is a little bit of a cliffhanger with a shocking death that I hope is not true! I will be reading the next book for sure!

Thank you Entangled Teen for the ARC! 🗡️🐍

last of the talons, the first book, was one of my favorite books of 2022. Because of that, I was really excited for this sequel. Oh boy. I really hope the third book fixes this mess, because this was just depressing. I don't feel any positive emotions by the end of this, literally none just despair and anger. There were some promising moments throughout the story, and I still believe this series can be redeemed, but I am seriously owed therapy after this

Wrath of the Talon takes my favorite parts of Last of the Talons and dials it up to an 11, and while I enjoyed it immensely, I can see why it's got readers a little split. Picking up with Lina's return to Sunpo, her sister safely secured in the Dokkaebi Emperor's palace, the last of the Talons plots her revenge. Her vengeance, however, is not all that fills her, not when there is imugi essence in her veins. If Lina isn't careful, she might just lose herself in a wrath that is not hers.

Both the first book and this one pit Lina against enemies, without and within, and Kim crafts a vicious spiral. Lina may have freed herself from Kalmin's control and her halji addiction, but the grief-born wrath that propels her is a far deadlier beast. If the first book was a bit light on Lina using her assassin training to overcome her problems, that's certainly not the case here. I loved watching her plot and scheme.

Shining through the darkness are moments of peace with her sister and her romantic development with Rui, but these bonds are put to the test. I thoroughly enjoyed watching her struggle with some very literal inner demons, although I fully admit that I'm a little tired of YA fantasy taking the "easy way out" of having a protagonist commit crimes at the behest of the demon possessing them. I would've liked a blurrier line between what Lina actively chose and what the demon made her do. There was a bit of a slump around the middle, because of this.

What really cinched this story was the climax. Like, that was kind of insane! And I loved it! Miss Sophie Kim, you sly bugger. What are we supposed to do until Reign of the Talon gets here?

hm…what? No, wait, seriously. WHAT!? I have to wait another year for book 3… tell me it ain’t so. What a cliffhanger.

✨4/5✨
Cliffhanger 🫠
Romance with a bit of spice ✅
Darker vibes 😈

I definitely recommend this book!

‼️ SPOILERS BELOW THIS POINT ‼️

I loved this book. I do think the first installment was the stronger of the two, but with second book syndrome I’m not surprised, especially within a trilogy. This book was a lot of set up but imo not in a bad way. The ending was fast paced and really hit hard. I’m sad we didn’t get much of the real Lina.

Rui is still our perfect boi. I’m always drawn to the sad ones I swear. I would love more of his pov chapters. Like they didn’t give too much to the story in this one. Like how did he feel about his hair…what’s his past…more emotional exploration. That kind of stuff. But either way I loved him.

Enubi 😭😭😭 please tell me that didn’t happen…I’m in denial until I get book 3.

The end reminded me of vampire diaries where they turn off their emotions. I definitely feel like Lina did that. lol. I wasn’t surprised by the ending, though, like it was a cliffhanger, but I wasn’t surprised on how it turned out. I had guessed that that’s where it was going, but it was still good to be validated.

Anyway, like I said, I definitely recommend. Also thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Teen for the ARC. My thoughts and opinions are my own.

Oh wow, this was a crazy and captivating, thrilling ride for sure! It honestly made me forget it was YA and I really liked it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book! Below is my honest review.

The second book of the Talons series is so much better than the first. The author's writing style definitely improved and is more "showing" than "telling" (which was a problem I had with the first book). Lina, in my honest opinion, is way less annoying than she was in the first book. Previously, all she ever did was say "I'll kill you!" to Rui or "I'm an assassin!! I know how to kill someone 100 different ways!!", but now, we're seeing a more cunning, more darker, more skilled side of her that was left out in book one. Another thing I enjoyed while reading this book was the fact that the author expands on the mythology by adding more creatures and stories about the gods. I'm really excited to see what happens in the final installment of this trilogy. Definitely worth picking up if you had any doubts!

"Before you embark on a journey of revenge, dig two graves" --Confucius
Perhaps, if Lina had headed Confucius' warning....but then we would not have this interesting story. The second instalment of the Talon trilogy is somewhat darker than the first. Lina is set on a path of revenge and we are to find out that nothing should set itself in the path of a serpent scorned, for Lina is not alone in her path. Her companion on this path, though, is not her dear Haneul Rui or even her sister whom she entrusts to Rui. Her companion is a voice in her head, a prophesy, something dark with , conceivably, an agenda of its own. Wrath of the Talon weaves the story of Lina's plot for revenge, her dark passenger's quest for world domination, and Rui's crusade for the Lina he fell in love with. The tale brings in some elements of Korean myths that set it apart from most revenge fantasy. The book kept me engaged throughout and curious for the final installment to see how the trilogy ends. (3.5/5)
I received advanced digital access to this book thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Entangled Publishing, LLC, Entangled: Teen) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

This fast paced sequel of the Talon trilogy, Wrath of the Talon, by Sophie Kim, begins with assassin Shin Lina, Reaper of Sunpo, returning to Sunpo to exact her revenge on the Blackblood gang that killed her entire gang, the Talons, her adopted family. She has returned a little more than human, a Child of Venom and scales. Her soul-stitched love, the Dokkaebi emperor, Huneul Rui, is now fated to be either her love or nemesis when dark truths and lies are revealed. All the while as she carries out her plan of revenge, a secret Voice in her head gradually makes her a puppet to a self fulfilling Prophecy to make her the Empress of All.
This book was good read with elements teen anxiety, mythology of Korea, righteous vengeance, a touch of romance and an ending I was not expecting. I cannot wait to find out what happens in the finale of the story.

This sequel felt like such a different tone than book one. Lina had so much more interal monolog for one. Her character had basically two emotions in this book: jealousy and suspicion. She was such a fascinating multifaceted character in book one, but the book fell a bit flat for me personally.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.