Review: The Blood Traitor ~ Lynette Noni

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Format I Used: Combination EBOOK
Pages: 464
Running Time: 16h:42m
My Rating: 10 million stars
Publication Date: June 14, 2022

FRIENDS.

OH MY HECK.

I AM NOT OKAY.

Actually I'm just fine, but my brain about exploded several times over while reading this book. And you want to know what else?  I read this book in basically one sitting. That hasn't happened in a

L O N G time.

That's how into it I was. Also, it made me shriek in anger and if I'd had a physical book and not my tablet, I would have thrown it against the wall, because it was midnight and I was FURIOUS. I don't even know where to start with this review.

Strap in, because I am ready to ramble and spew 

spoilers left and right so please

READ.

WITH.

CAUTION.

I'm serious. There will be no filter on this review.

This is what I started writing like right after I started reading the book. Because I was trying to be organized and whatnot. But looking back at certain parts of it after finishing the book made me giggle.

So it opens with Kiva back in Zalindov and high out of her mind on pixie dust. It's not pixie dust. Stardust? Ehhh, something like that Angeldust. It's Angeldust. And also feeling like the world's worst person because of all the people she hurt and betrayed (which she should 100 percent feel horrible, because Jaren was nothing but amazing to her (and also my sweet baby Caldon)  but she finds an unexpected kind of ally in Cresta who always wanted to shank her before.

Ah, anyways.

I initially only started the first book in this series because the cover fit a prompt for a reading challenge that I was doing. It was slow, and I felt like I was reading it FOREVER before things finally started happening. But the ending also smacked me in the face and just like that I knew I was going to pick up book two.

Book two was very much the same for me. It was slow for the majority of it, but then towards the end things started speeding up and the ending had me hooked once again.

There was no doubt in my mind that I was going to pick up book three and read it, because that darned cliffhanger ending nearly un-alived me. I thought this one was going to be slow at first as well, but it all moved at a surprisingly nice pace. I was just going along for the ride, so there was a surprise or two that took me completely off guard, and I was ecstatic about that..

KIVA

Kiva had a lot of growing up to do, and she did that wonderfully (after lots and lots of work) She spent a lot of time feeling sorry for herself, and feeling like terrible person for the part she played in all the bad things that happened in the last book. And not only that she was drugged up on Angeldust and in Zalindov and that was all a hot mess. She was in bad shape and would have died or killed herself if not for Cresta. And also, I was a little bit let down by the way things ended with her losing her healing powers. I mean, I guess I get it, but I still think she should have been able to keep them.

CRESTA

Yeah, you read that last sentence in the above paragraph correctly. CRESTA. I was not thinking much about her being in this book at all, and it certainly never crossed my mind that she would be an ally for Kiva. And not only that, but she turns out to be a long lost Princess (Navok's other sister, btw and she played an VERY IMPORTANT part in the end of this book. Since she stopped trying to off Kiva every chance she got, I actually quite enjoyed her interactions. Her candid comments and observations had me rolling on the floor in laughter.

NAVOK

Blech. euuuchhh. That is all. No, wait, I totally guessed the twist that it wasn't going to be Zuleeka marrying him. THAT is all.

GALDRIC

Had no inkling that he was going to be the one to betray everyone. Should I have? Maybe. But like I said, I was not actively trying to figure anything out. In fact the person that I oh so wrongly thought was a secret bad guy was...

EIDRAN

He was just too quiet and I was just instantly suspicious of him. And it was completely unfounded. Sorry Eidran!! You're actually quite literally the best!!

ASHLYN

Now see, I knew that the maid wasn't really a maid, but I wasn't expecting it to be Caldon's sister. Love her. She's almost as amazing as her brother. And her heart's just as big. Proven by the fact that she hung around longer to see what Kiva was all about and, much like her brother, decided that Kiva was a good person who was just a little misguided.

ZULEEKA

I will save you from having to read the wretching noises again, but much like Navok, I do not care for Zuleeka. Which isn't surprising... what I WAS surprised to learn was that their mother was covering up so many horrible things for Zuleeka,

MIRRYN

She was kind of a non issue in this book. Yes she helped wreak so much havoc in the last book. But honestly? She was fooled by Zuleeka, and she actually helped the good guys when it counted. I'm not trying to excuse her poor choices and she's got a LONG way to go in order to make things 100% better.

NAARI

Was just as amazing and kick ass as usual

JAREN

Oh boy. He was kind of sort of pissed at Kiva (and rightly so) but not really for the reason you might think. He was more upset by the fact that Kiva didn't trust him with all the things that were going on in her life. I'm not going to lie the tension between the two was *chefs kiss* I was more excited about their relationship in this book than in the first two combined. Although I was a smidge annoyed with Kiva and her feeling sorry for herself.

TIPP

Is still a precious precious child and must be protected at all costs.

CALDON

Oh. My. Lanta.

Caldon is my favorite character 100%, hands down, no exceptions. I don't even think I have the proper words to describe how much I love him. Dare I say he's surpassed Aaron Warner and Rhysand as my all time favorite book boyfriend? When his character was first introduced in the second book, I was just like, mehhhh, he's a'ight. But the more we got to know him, the more I loved him, and he's just the best. First of all, he knew who Kiva was. Did he also threaten to slit her throat if she betrayed his family? Yes. But he was willing to give her a chance. And when all the shhhhh went down and Caldon found Kiva with Naari and Jaren and Kiva was all freaking out. He told her that she needed to run. Because he was scared and worried... for HER. And then when she was reunited with them all in the third book, he was acting all upset with her, but basically forgave her immediately and hugged her while she cried. He was, like, her biggest champion, and her best friend. SHE CALLED HIM HER BEST FRIEND. I was totally getting Kenji from Shatter Me vibes. And you know what. I about RAGED when the words "Caldon Is Dead" were uttered. It was the middle of the night, and I was furious. I made a loud screeching noise of protest and had I had a physical book in my hand and not my tablet, I would have thrown it against the wall.

I cheated a little at this point and flipped ahead to see if he stayed dead or if the brought him back to life (Yes to the latter) because if he would have stayed dead, it would have been an IMMEDIATE DNF for me. I would not have cared one little bit about how far into the book I was, I would have returned it to Overdrive and tried to erase it from my brain. It was fine. He's fine. So am I. And that cheeky little booger also figured out who Cresta was.

Also, I A D O R E the interactions that Caldon has with Kiva (and pretty much everyone) the majority of the highlights that I have for this book is Caldon.

VOSHELL & SERAFINE

I really wish that there had been more of them in this book. I know that they're not actually romantically involved, but the few minutes I got of them had me wanting more. ESPECIALLY Voshell. Because we're led to believe he's a "weak king" but from what Kiva saw, that seemed to be far from the truth. Not only that, but Serafine was pretty fierce herself.

TORELL

He's one of the bestest big brothers you could ever ask for. And I'm glad that he wasn't in league with Zuleeka.

 

I think that's all I have to say for now.... My brain still feels overloaded with thoughts. I'll try to update if I think of anything else.

Did It Make Me Cry? Yes. Twice actually. Funnily enough though, neither of those times was when I thought my precious baby Caldon died. No, I was too mad to be sad.

1. When they went to see the Mystician, and she gave Kiva the option to either kiss Jaren or take some Angeldust, and she chose the Angeldust, and Cresta was pissed at her, but still helped her and Kiva went on and on about things about Jaren and how she deserved to be hated, and Jaren and Caldon where aghast at finally learning what happened to her after they parted ways. This is also when Jaren started warming up towards her.

2.When Kiva and Jaren had to go on a hiking trip up the magic mountain to get the other stone ring thingy. And they finally had a heart to heart and things got much much better between them because they FINALLY communicated with each other.

Anyways, please go read this series, it's amazing.