4.5 stars
And that's a wrap on this wild emotional rollercoaster of a binge read! The most ambitious, high stakes, and beautifully bittersweet instalment in the series, Lady of Starfire ends this epic romantasy series with an absolute bang and launches it straight into my stack of comfort favourites!
I really loved my journey with this found family of tragically broken souls, and I was way more emotionally invested by the end than I could ever have anticipated. Especially books 4 and 5 really blew me away, not only in terms of powerful character work, but also in how meticulously everything was plotted out all along.
The scope of this story truly just kept expanding with each instalment, and I was honestly getting nervous about whether Roehrich would be able to weave all the threads together in a satisfying way. But honestly, I should never have worried, because she nailed this finale. It strikes the perfect balance between being action-packed and character-driven, ending all the individual character arcs and the overarching fantasy plot in a masterful way!
The world building is simply breathtaking and so immersive; from the tense political landscape between all the different races, to the rich lore, to all the wondrous magical powers, to the awe-inspiring fantastical creatures (yes, here there be dragons!), and last, but certainly not least, to all the tantalising bits of hidden/twisted history about both this world and other worlds that are revealed in the most jaw-dropping ways. I desperately need to read more books in this universe!!
As for the romance, I have to say I am pleasantly surprised with how that all developed over the course of the series. I'll admit that Scarlett & Sorin really got on my nerves in the first three books with all their bickering and secrecy, but their growth together in books 4 and 5 was astounding. That said, they always remained my least favourite couple in the series, and I think all the other POV characters with their personal romantic entanglements were the true highlights of this series.
Especially the newest POV in this instalment offered a slow-burn enemies to lovers dynamic that had me giggling and kicking my feet in all the best ways. And I also deeply appreciated the beautiful and tender queer romance introduced from book 4 onwards, their dynamic warmed my heart so much.
The way that themes of mental health, trauma, redemption, forgiveness, healing, queerness, friendship, and complicated familial bonds are explored in this series has honestly really left an impact on me. Each of these characters has their own inner demons to battle, and I really liked the masterful interweaving of the internal and external conflicts. Also, I deeply appreciate that none of their struggles are suddenly cured because they find love in their life; the romances provide comfort and a guiding light, but everyone still has to put in the hard work to find their bright stars in the darkness, and I loved that raw and authentic representation.
Now, I do have to say that I think this finale was almost a little too perfect for my tastes. There was some potential for great sacrifices and losses, but instead most things got tied up just a bit too neatly considering how incredibly high stakes this story is made out to be. Yet at the same time, I ate up all the exciting 'here comes the cavalry' moments, was riveted by the unravelling of clever schemes, adored the sheer epicness of all the magical battles, and really loved the peaceful and wholesome sequence of falling action that closes out this novel.
I am honestly very sad to be parting with these characters now, this has become a true comfort read for me! If you are looking for a romantasy series where the delicious romance elements are just as strong as the beautifully immersive and masterfully crafted fantasy story, then you have to check out the Lady of Darkness series. Gosh, that was a wonderful binge!