*4.5

Nesta said hoarsely, "You are good, Cassian. And you are brave, and brilliant, and kind. I could kill anyone who every made you feel less than that-less than what you are. And I know I'm a part of that group, and I hate it." Her eyes burned, but she fought past it. "You are everything I have never been, and will never be good enough for. Your friends know it, and I have cried it around with me all this time-that I do not deserve you."

Returning to Prythian, Nesta Acheron, dealing with the aftermath of the Battle of Hybern, if forced to train with Cassian or to return to the Mortal Realms. Even with her stubborn streak, Cassian refuses to give up on Nesta. While Nesta deals with her banishment, she starts to face her shortcomings and apologizes for her past actions.

Things I Liked:

Nesta and Cassian.

These two are my OTP from the moment Cassian laid eyes on Nesta in A Court of Mist and Fury. Finally, witnessing the two bicker and falling in love was everything from their angst, anger, and tears. It was impossible to put down this book. Nesta has always been my favorite character in the series. She, in my opinion, is the most complex character. As Nesta starts to open up bit by bit during her training with Cassian, she becomes a relatable character. Nesta and Cassian's self-loathing are at constant war, which is the most unfortunate aspect of this story. These two characters, who bring out the best in each other, feel so unworthy of each other. Cassian acts indifferent to her presence until he can't stand it, and Nesta uses her harsh words to keep him at a distance.

Nesta's Powers

As Nesta starts to explore her power, I have to admit; her powers are pretty badass. The ability to create an entire new Trove.

Elain Finally Becoming Interesting

Elain snapping back at Nesta for treating Elain's trauma as her own was jaw-dropping. Mostly due to the unexpected truth bomb, Elain threw at Nesta. For most of the series, Elain has been the boring sister, but after Lucien discovered her as his mate, Elain started to get more depth, as her human life was ripped from her and her desire to ignore Lucien's entire presence to her attraction to Azriel. The wait for Elain's story is going to be torturous.

Things I Didn't Like

Feyre's Pregnancy

The baby being born with wings is because he was conceived while Feyre was in her Illyrian form. My question is, couldn't she shift back into her Illyrian shape? I know that the healer told Feyre no more shifting, but surely Feyre wouldn't put the baby at risk if she shifted.

Nesta Giving her Powers Back

I've always been against giving up power to save a life trope. But, I also do believe that Feyre shouldn't have had this issue in the first place. I think I will have to go back and read their reasoning for Feyre not shifting to her Illyrian form. Even as Nesta gained the Mother's trust, I feel that Nesta's powers would be so helpful in stopping Koschei.

The Twist...

As a fan of Maas's famous twists, this book did not have any significant twists at all. The entire book, I read on in fear that Nesta wouldn't be Cassian's mate. I feared that Nesta's mate was Eris. But the lack of twist didn't take away from the read.

In the end, this book was worth the long wait. I hope to say the same about the next Acheron sister's book.