Okay so Broken Shadows was DEFINITELY more fun than book one. Like, stuff actually happened this time. There was more action, more jokes, and the plot didn’t move at a glacial pace for once.
First of all, Lorcan.
WHY is this man still the male lead?? He’s so painfully cringe. One second he’s like Oh wow the bat is so cute and literally BFFs with him, then the next he’s having an emotional breakdown because Eva is paying more attention to said bat. “He watched her gaze linger on the bat longer than it did on him.” SIR. Get a grip. You're jealous of a literal bat. Grow up.
Also, the man cannot decide if he wants to kiss Eva or write her a sad poem. The angst is so heavy it gave me secondhand embarrassment. Every time he and Eva talked, I wanted to hand them both a therapist and leave the room. They are cute at the same time though. “I could sense it too.
Sense what, exactly? He asks.
That what we had was something epic.”
EVA!? STILL SUCH A DIVA!! She’s dramatic, powerful, and definitely carrying this series on her sparkly shoulders. Like she walks into every scene like “You will listen to me because I’m right.”…and somehow she actually is. Her sass and power moves were top-tier. No notes for her. She’s the main character and knows it. The way she clowned Lorcan half the time? I lived.
She is so powerful and strong though, I admire her resilience so much. “Just because he’s dead, doesn’t mean the deep wounds he left behind are. You can’t kill a memory, but you can heal your reaction to it, with time.”
“Tears line my lashes as the word father echoes along my brainwaves. Rosa never understood why I continue to call Edward that, but only a parent can inflict the brand of pain that burrows deep in my bones.”
Aiden and Lorcan’s friendship was actually adorable tho.
“For once, Aiden is right,” I acknowledge.
Aiden’s jaw drops open comically and his eyes bulge. “I…I…wha?” he stammers.
Ezra twists toward me, then raises his tattooed hand in front of his mouth and speaks at regular volume. “Utoh, I think you broke him.”
My eyes narrow on Aiden, then every single muscle in my body tightens rapidly as he tips forward and traps me in a bear hug. “I knew you liked me,” he cries in my ear.
I release a dark growl. “Aiden. Get. Off. Me.”
“Oh, shit. Sorry. Like, for real dude,”
AND CAN WE TALK ABOUT EZRA AND ROSA??
My actual favorite part. Their chemistry? CHEF’S KISS. The way Ezra kept being all smooth and sarcastic and Rosa was like I hate you but with heart eyes?? I shipped it harder than the main couple.
Gideon was actually so cute though?? Like the wayI hated him, but he was so respectful to Rosa. “I may be your captive, Wrath, but I won't stand by and allow you to continually pester the woman. She obviously abhors your attentions.” ANDD. Is it just me or did I sense something between him and Aiden!? I ship it.
The worldbuilding still felt a little like someone dumped fantasy buzzwords into a cauldron and hoped for the best, but at least there were more fight scenes to distract from it. And the humor was genuinely better this time—some lines actually made me laugh instead of cringe.