Hello, friends. ✨ Today I’m excited to be part of the blog tour for Wrath of the Talon by Sophie Kim! Special thanks to the TBR & Beyond Tours team for organising the tour and including me in it.

Thanks to Entangled: Teen for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Click here or on the banner above to check out the rest of the fantastic bloggers on tour!

TL;DR: Holy wow, this was a sequel! That ending had me floored because no way was that the choice! Author!! The way you built up hope is illegal!!! I can’t remember the last time I was so thrilled by the second book in a trilogy but this, to me, did not suffer from that dreaded second/middle book syndrome. Perhaps it’s because I went in with lowered expectations having thought the first book was okay; however, I think the writing, plot, and character development were sharper and I’m happy to see that author growth. With such high stakes and a whole lot of tension and angst, this sequel got me invested in this series and after that ending, I can’t wait for the finale!

“Death does not die, and neither will I.”

There is a lot that happens in this sequel and while we don’t get much new world-building, we do get to learn more Korean mythology about Imugi, Dokkaebi and the Gods. I loved it so much! Even though serpents terrify me, and reading about them gave me slithery nightmares, their myth added more to the story. Plus, this weaves in lore about the “red thread of fate”—which is one of the reasons why I love East Asian-inspired fantasy so much, especially if there’s a romance involved. It’s one of my favourite bits of East Asian lore and I loved the twist Kim brings to it in this story! I’ve never heard of this side of the lore before so I’m not sure if it’s part of it, but it makes so much sense and it not only made it so freaking painful to hope, but it also raised the stakes!

“Somehow,” he drawls, “I’m not surprised that you seem to have a vendetta against everything in Sunpo that so much as moves.”

And speaking of that, not only have the stakes doubled but so has the tension and angst! The closer we got to the end, the more each page felt fraught with agonising tension and I both loved and hated it. The story picks up almost immediately from where book one ends and if you thought that Lina’s roiling emotions were intense then, you haven’t seen anything yet! From the very first chapter, her frothing rage and thirst for vengeance is palpable and it was actually kind of thrilling, lol. Kim very aptly dedicates this to the angry girls because there is a lot of that here and while it can be draining, I think the author maintains it on a level that’s not overwhelming.

“There is a Dokkaebi in my bed and a Voice in my head, yet I feel more alone than ever.”

But while the emotion does play a big part in our MC’s character arc—in more ways than one here—what I appreciated seeing was the growth in her to do better and to be good. Lina wasn’t happy with who she became and what she was made to do by the Blackbloods and she is genuine in her motivation to atone and help create a better life for the people of Sunpo. She’s still headstrong, occasionally rash, and driven by bloodthirsty revenge, but I liked that she was able to look beyond herself to recognise that those destructive emotions wouldn’t help her create the peaceful world she wants. So, I was honestly a bit sad when all of that intention was obliterated by the power that quite literally is growing within her; but I (grudgingly) understand why the author decided to do it this way. This aspect of the story is not one that I read often (mild spoiler: it’s to do with possession/an entity that takes over a mind/body without consent) and although I found it enraging and frustrating, I’m quite sure that was the author’s intention and I wasn’t meant to empathise with the Voice.

“Sometimes the true monsters lurk within bodies of beauty.”

“Prophecies are always fulfilled because they are, literally, self-fulfilling.”

My heart broke for Lina as she fought what at times felt like a losing battle to keep herself out of the clutches of a great and ruthless evil. The author did a great job giving a distinct voice and personality to, well, the Voice. I despised it and was terrified by it in turn. This part of Lina’s story challenges the concept of fate. Even if there is a fork in the road which presents two possible outcomes and you could go down either road, if something is already predetermined and fated to happen, just how much can you influence change, if truly at all? Ugh, I had love/hate feelings about how it all came full circle at the end! 😂

“Growth isn’t linear, Lina. It is knotted and tangled and frustrating. But it is something to be proud of, even as you struggle.”

Another character I grew to love but also felt so sorry for in this sequel is Rui, Emperor of the Dokkaebi. He has such a delicate and gentle soul and it was clear he would do anything to save Lina. I also loved his affection for Eunbi. 🥹 Despite having his council and close friends, it felt like he went through this torturous journey alone and my heart hurt for him! I’m glad that we were treated to more of his POV, as well as that of the others through interludes told in the third person. We would often get multiple perspectives in these interludes, often without clear demarcations or transitions between views, which was admittedly confusing at times. But it did bring more to the story that I found lacking in the first book and I hope that it continues in the finale especially now that we know which direction this story takes.

“There is beauty in death. There is a field of flowers and the scent of cherry blossoms.”

That ending pretty much shattered me and I’m genuinely terrified for what’s going to come next. It’s not going to be good but it’s going to be great and I hope the author surprises us and delights us with an incredible finale. This was a thrilling second book in the trilogy and I would recommend it if you enjoyed the first book or are looking for a stabby, revengeful Asian-inspired fantasy with a bloodthirsty MC and interesting lore!

Have you read Wrath of the Talon or is it on your TBR?

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