Near-perfect YA fantasy. The world building made my jaw DROP multiple times--like Taylor has some access to a Mary Poppins' bag of brilliant ideas I've never read before. The emotional arcs were gutting while still maintaining a classic YA fantasy feel. Every single relationship felt real, from the ones where I wanted to punch the other person in the face to the ones where I wanted to wrap everyone up in bubble wrap and feed them some of Rooftop's cinnamon rolls. Gently. And with tea.

I cannot overstate how much I loved this book. The ending made me CRY. The emotional catharsis was so HONEST. Not many YA authors are able to hit that magic blend of authenticity, adventure, world building, and character and Taylor did it in this book. Easy five stars.

A satisfyingly feral read.

The plot twists were twisting!
The tension between the characters and world building was so fantastical and immersive that I kept reading with no page left unturned or confusion about where I was with the story. Everything weaved together in a satisfying conclusion and HOW ABOUT THAT EPILOGUE?!?! The animals being the magic Mancella absorbs is such a clever power and to have her be this badass yet soft MC was even better paired with Silver. Well done!

I’ve read a lot of teen fantasy, and this was fantastic! Really well written, with wonderful characters and a great plot line. I’m only sorry that it’s an advanced reader copy which means the sequel won’t come out for a while!
I’ll be very surprised if this isn’t a best seller.

This story is an enthralling fantasy work for those who enjoy fantasy with strong political and moral undertones, featuring complex characters with deep internal conflicts. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing the DRC in exchange for my honest review.

I loved the story, the world building and meeting the different characters. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.