City of Smoke and Brimstone: A sweeping romantasy saga of dark magic, dangerous love and the battle between light and chaos

House of Devils #4

by Kayla Edwards

LOVE WILL BURN. WAR WILL RISE. AND NOT EVERYONE WILL SURVIVE.


The fourth explosive chapter in the dark, addictive House of Devils series

‘This will forever be one of my all-time favorite series’ 5 ⭐ Reader Review

–
Awake or dreaming?

For six months, Loren Calla has had one stay alive.

With her friends beside her and the love of a ruthless Darkslayer, she has beaten the odds until the Veil begins to fall and bloodthirsty creatures flood Yveswich.

Now survival may demand the ultimate sacrifice.

Darien Cassel, trapped deep underground and cut off from his Sight, must face a threat darker than anything he has known, one that could destroy him for good.

Roman Devlin, torn between loyalty and the thief who stole his heart, stands on the edge of ruin. Every choice he makes could save his future or end it.

As war ignites across worlds, love and loyalty will be tested, and not everyone will make it out alive.

In this breathtaking fourth installment in the House of Devils series, all must fight if they wish to stand a chance against the dark forces poised to devour their world. But when tragedy strikes again, they realize that nothing, not even love. may be enough to save them this time.





Found FamilyFated MatesEnemies to LoversMorally Grey HeroesForbidden RomanceWar Between WorldsSlow Burn, High StakesMultiple POVsMagic System–

Readers can’t get enough of the House of Devils Series

‘THIS SERIES IS EVERYTHING TO ME!!!’ 5 ⭐ Reader Review

‘I’m going to need 3 business days to process the events of this book’ 5 ⭐ Reader Review

‘At this point, I shouldn’t be surprised at how much I love this book because every single book in this series has been 5*’ 5 ⭐ Reader Review

‘This was perfection!! 6 stars!!!’ 5 ⭐ Reader Review

‘Wow I’m at a loss for words & cannot even explain how much I loved this book!!!’ 5 ⭐ Reader Review

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Urban Fantasy, Romance, Fantasy Romance, Dark Romance, Paranormal

764 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 8, 2025

About the author

Kayla Edwards is the author of the new adult House of Devils series, including City of Gods and Monsters, City of Souls and Sinners, City of Lies and Legends, and City of Smoke and Brimstone. She also wrote the upper young adult romantasy novel Dreams of Ice and Iron. Her House of Devils series has been sold in six languages to date. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys traveling, spending time in nature, and binge-watching her favorite television shows with her husband. You can connect with her Facebook readers’ group Dare’s Devils or follow her on Instagram, BookTok, and Pinterest @KaylaEdwardsAuthor.

Reviews

[Marianna Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have no words. Well I do, but also I don’t know how to properly explain how this book and just this series as a whole makes me feel. The House of Devils series is EVERYTHING TO ME!! I have been looking forward to City of Smoke and Brimstone all year and my goodness Kayla edwards DELIVERED!!! As always. Filler book where?!!! This is how you do the fourth book in a fantasy romance series!

That being said this as a ROLLER COASTER!! When I say it was nonstop… I mean NONSTOP! My heart rate was up the entire time, not a single moment of peace, and I gobbled up every second. I felt every single emotion under the sun. I laughed, I cried, I screamed, the emotional attachment I have to this world and these characters probably isn’t healthy and I don’t care.

Darien cassel. Finally reunited with my book husband and my god I somehow love him even more. He’s so underrated as a book man it makes no sense to me. The way he yearns and is on his knees for Loren!! He was something ELSE in this book I couldn’t take it!!!! His protectiveness >>>> but as per usual he also broke my heart. All of these characters break my heart because of what they’ve been through and the agony Kayla is constantly putting them through, but I love the pain. Him and Loren are my babies. They are soulmates. I will say Loren did frustrate me a bit in this book but she pulled through and I was extremely proud of her growth! She’s the type of FMC that will constantly having you feeling a mix of emotions sometimes good sometimes not so great but she’s still one of my favorites because of her complexity and realness!

The way Roman and Shay are now a close second to Loren and Darien…. Don’t even get me started I love them so much and I’m yearning for more of them! ROMANNNNNN!! The way I’m so obsessed with both him and Darien… they are the blue print.

We got even more POVs and Kayla Edward’s does multi pov so well! At no point was it confusing and each character had purpose and depth and it never felt like a POV was unnecessary! I loveeeed the back and forth! Each chapter literally ended on a cliff hanger!

I still have so many questions but we also got so many answers! I would have liked to see more of the villains on page but I know we’re gearing up for that in the next book…. I’m terrified. But also need it NOW!

Thank you Kayla so much for the arc, I’m eternally grateful!

Leaving you with some of my favorite quotes!
“You are my present, my future, and my eternity, Loren.”

“He really would get on his knees this time. Crawl. Beg. He had no shame when it came to her.”

“My heart has been searching for you my whole life.”

“A life without Shay was like the world without rain. And Roman loved the rain.”

“Every part of his soul, his aura, his body begged for her.”

[Kayla Edwards]

Drafting as we speak. ♥︎

[Kaila.Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHAT A ROLLERCOASTER.

[✩ Yaz ✩ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Everything that could go wrong in their lives had indeed gone wrong. But they’d fought it—had fought hard for each other. For love. But in the end, death always won.

Did I finish this book... or did this book finish me?

Here I am once again hurt (by choice) by another House of Devils book.

I did not have a moment of rest while reading City of Smoke and Brimstone. I was not joking about needing an inhaler while reading because I could not breathe. I think I need a hug? I'm not okay...

That is not a complaint, but a twisted compliment because... Holy. F**king. Sh*t.

The stakes keep on getting higher with every book, and so does my blood pressure.

Plans are wrecked, blood and death reeks everywhere, friends and foes part ways, and the odds keep turning against our beloved devils and everyone else.

They might've had luck on their side and the upper hand before, but now? Not so much and the reader will suffer alongside them.

We've always mostly followed Darien and Loren, who are my absolute darlings, and even though we got other POVs but I love that we get more of the other characters—and when they get their moment under the spotlight they really shine and I'm not just talking about Roman and Shay.

The dynamics slightly change in a way that hurt me but was kind of realistic and bound to happen under the circumstances they were in.

This book is definitely darker and more violent than it's predecessors. It's a nerve-shredder and I had to put the book down to take a deep breath and calm myself down several times.

But worry not, the humor is still impeccable and it gave me a break to laugh and dread what's coming at the same time.

I am left with a few questions surrounding the fates of some characters I hoped to see but I think those in particular will play a critical role in the next book, which is expected to be the final book in the series (book 6 is likely a prequel).

That final scene hurt and left a void in my chest...
I. Need. That. Book. NOW.

By now you should know that this series is a 5-star series by default. This is the perfect urban fantasy romance series for me due to the fact that it combines everything and I love and the author excels at gifting me with a new experience and journey in every book.

It's going to be so hard for me to part ways with these characters, but I'm grateful that I got to experience their stories and live through it with them. This will forever be one of my all-time favorite series.

Thank you Kayla for gifting me with an eARC and the opportunity to reunite with these characters and world sooner! I've been counting months, weeks, days to return to them!!

[♥Milica♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

“And I told you there is no after.” What he—they—were going through put an edge in his tone as well. Not a harsh one, no. But she knew Darien well enough to detect it. “You are my present, my future, and my eternity, Loren.”

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!! You have no idea how glad I am the cliffhanger this book ended with isn't as huge as the one in book three unless if giving the spider her freedom means Loren ends up in her place, in which case yes, it's a huge cliffhanger. So many things were solved, and I feel content. That's not to say I'm not excited for the next one though, I just felt like this was a less-cruel place to leave us waiting on.

But most importantly THEY GOT MORTY BACK WE CHEER!!!!, I didn't think it would happen in this one, because we were down to the last 100 or so pages, but I'm so glad it did. I would've lost sleep over it if I had to wait any longer.

ALSO, you have no idea how happy I am that Loren and Darien made up and that all our beloved characters made it to the end in one piece. I don't want anyone to die.

Speaking of dying, I badly need to know how Loren is going to avoid her fate. If this series ends with her and Darien dying I'm going to throw hands.

Anyway, I love how none of these feel like filler books, no matter what's going on - it's always interesting. In this one we ended up with little groups of characters being separated, and having to rely on each other to survive, which allowed for greater character development than before.

There was even some relationship development between Roman and Shay I burst into tears when she told him she loved him, and Travis and Jewels, they're very dear to me. Max and Dallas didn't get to shine as much, but I figure they're already established so it's not a big deal. Plus a lot of Max's page time was taken up with his side quest.

We learned more about what's going on, but something I noticed is that Loren didn't really use much of her magic this time around, she definitely deserves the rest.

Meanwhile Darien...went above and beyond to keep everyone safe even at his own expense. That man will NOT stop until he saves the whole world.

Ivy pissed me off until she apologised, it really wasn't fair that she was mad at Loren for something Darien did.

Roark and Dean really grew on me, I know we just met the latter, but he left a good impression. And Roark really improved, but it's bugging me a little how Erasmus and Cyra, her actual parents, were barely mentioned and didn't even appear in the book.

And I get Roark raised her so he IS her dad too, but every time she interacted with him and called him dad, there wasn't a single thought spared to Erasmus. Personally, I think as soon as they learned the spell was broken they should've ran to get some answers. And I kinda don't like how Roark's so concerned about Loren, but is still cold to Dallas.

Since I'm on a roll, it was incredibly convenient that Donovan didn't cause more trouble. His presence was looming in the background, and don't get me wrong, I LOVE that he didn't get Pax, and didn't hurt Roman but I feel like SOMETHING should've happened.

It's all probably being saved for the next book, which I hope won't be the last one. I'm not sure if there's 5 books, maybe a 6th *and* a prequel, or if book 6 would be the prequel? Either way, I will be here waiting. I love these books so much.

[Ti · Rating 3 out of 5]

So here’s the thing. When you look at these books and see how big they are, you would think a loooooot is being covered, but the time-spans for the last 3 books are seriously pissing me off. This book literally covered the events of MAYBE a week. Less even, it was literally what? Like 5 days. And the book before that? 10 days. Book before that? 2 weeks. You’re kidding right.

Big reveals… I’m sorry where? literally nothing of importance was revealed. I was hoping we’d finally get some answers regarding all the secrets Erasmus and Cyra are keeping but they weren’t even in this book.

All this hype the author set around Donovan and how we’re not ready for the emotional damage meanwhile he only had 2 short scenes. Girl…

Honestly, I’m disappointed. And then Loren giving Darien the cold shoulder just because the author clearly couldn’t think of a more creative way to create angst and tension for them in this book bruh be for real that was lame and a waste of paper.

And Loren girl?? She literally goes “I don’t want to die with any regrets” and then proceeds to ignore and put distance between her and the most important person in her life. Make it make sense. And even though she was only ignoring him for about 2 days, that took up the first 60% of the book so.

Now Darien, I did like him in this book but i don’t know. The whole touch her and die thing is getting old especially when nobody actually DIES when they touch her. And how many times is this dude gonna freak out over Loren’s heart as if she isn’t on the verge of dying nearly every chapter. The repetition is getting ridiculous. But I’m SO glad he took care of that Glen loser. Ugh I couldn’t stand him.

When it comes to the side characters. Travis, jewels, and Malakai reign supreme for me. Travis and jewels are adorable and they’re by faaaaaar my favorite side character couple. They’re so cute and their interactions can be so hilarious. And Malakai and Travis had me laughing out loud on several occasions. They definetely made this book a lot better for me.

Max, I’m sorry but for the life of me I can’t bring myself to care about this guy. I don’t care about him, his journey finding his sister, his relationship with Dallas (though I did actually really like Dallas as a character in this book). I couldn’t care less and if he died I wouldn’t blink.

Roman and Shay- I also don’t care for their romance. I loooooove them as side characters in other peoples pov’s. But them together and their interactions together is something I genuinely don’t care for at all.

I didn’t really like how Ivy was treating Loren in the beginning as if she’s responsible for the decision Darien made with that bargain. However with everything that was going on, they were all hungry, sleep-deprived, and the world was in shambles so it makes sense for people to act out and say things they don’t mean. But I love that she apologized and acknowledged that she was out of line.

Also Lace? Loved her in this book.

All in all, I’d say this is possibly my second least favorite book in the series. If I were to rank from favorite to least favorite it would probably be: Book 2, 3, 4, then 1.

This was a miss for me. I’m just sick of not getting any answers and the plot moving at a snails pace. These books are HUGE, it shouldn’t take this long for us to get answers for the things that actually matter.

I guess I’m just bothered by the way the author chose to market this book as being “the darkest book yet” and “BIG reveals” and being a huge journey when it didn’t cover much.

[Lena · Rating 5 out of 5]

THIS SERIES IS EVERYTHING TO ME!!! There was not a single moment of this book that I wasn’t on the edge of my seat, biting my nails, and sweating profusely. This book picked up right where the last one left off, so we were thrown into crazy situations IMMEDIATELY. I literally will not know peace until this series is finished.
I genuinely love all of these characters so much. Darien Cassel is forever THE book boyfriend. Loren is such a sweet angel baby, and I love that the author didn’t feel the need to turn her into a fighter. She’s soft but has her own strengths, and I love that. The Roman/Shay romance was INCREDIBLE in this book with so much yearning and tension. I absolutely love them. All of the other characters all hold such a special place in my heart too. The found family in this series is everything. And a character that really surprised me and warmed my heart? Roark Bright.
The plot in this is genuinely so good and so unique. I’m just as invested in the plot as I am in the characters’ relationships. This world is so intricate and has such strong world building.
Anyways, no one talk to me until the next book is released.

[Flora (Helia's version) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have to say I didnt think it would make it to my top five, but its my fav of all time.

[SJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

update: I have not read this book and will need 3-5 business days to recover before I review.

Just finished the third book and now I need to know how soon until I get to read about my beloved Darien. Oh, and Roman. Oh, and Max. Oh, and Malaki. OH AND MORTY

[shaelinslibrary · Rating 5 out of 5]

The ending of this book is actually going to make me physically ill. I AM GOING TO LOSE IT!!!

These poor characters can NEVER catch a break, but tell me why everytime something bad happens my brain goes “they’re gonna be completely fine :)”? Am I new here?

Darien is nothing short of a heartthrob in this book, he is amazing, and he and Loren’s relationship is just *chef’s kiss*. The only thing I didn’t love was that Darien still hasn’t stopped falling on the sword for everyone, I wanted to see a bit more growth there.

However, we have characters like Roman MF “Shadows” Devlin who can CALL ME UP!!!! His growth in this book was soooo good! I love this man so much, this book really made me fall even more in love with his character. He and Shay??? LOVE! Can’t wait for more of them in book 5.

I also loved Travis and Jewel’s little side plot romance, so tender!!

This book was immaculate with so many POV’s, the action was nonstop, and I cannot get enough of these characters and this world. I hope we get more Dean in book 5, too.

Love, Kayla Edwards is a mastermind! 4.75 stars ⭐️

[Plottwistsandchill · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ What I loved
•Non-stop intensity
•The emotional depth of every relationship
•Multiple POVs done exceptionally well — never confusing
•Characters being split into groups, allowing huge growth moments and tension
•The worldbuilding — intricate, dark, and just as compelling as the romances
•No filler. Not a single “nothing” chapter, even at nearly 1,000 pages

⚡ What didn’t quite hit for me
•The emotional stress ofcourse(Kayla Edwards truly hates peace 😭)
HAHA There where absolutely NO NOTES for this!!!

🖤My Thoughts
This book is officially my favourite in the series so far — and that’s saying a lot because I love them all! The action had me holding my breath, and I devoured nearly 800 pages in just two sittings. Every storyline pulled me in, and with so many characters, it’s impressive how well each one feels so fleshed out — I genuinely care about all of them. The found family aspect continues to grow, which is one of my favourite tropes done perfectly here. And dare I say… while Darien & Loren will always have a special place in my heart, Roman & Shay have totally stolen the crown as my favourite couple by the end. Their growth, longing, and emotional journey hit me hard. Donovan, on the other hand, has officially secured second place on my “most hated villains” list — I loathe him and can’t wait to see bad bad things happen to him! Honestly, this series has me hanging on every page, and I am not ready for whatever Kayla has planned next.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

#JusticeForMorty

[𝒜𝓃𝓃𝒶 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.7/5 ⭐️I am actually not okay. If this author is good at one thing, it’s leaving us hanging on brutal cliffhangers… every single time these poor characters try to catch a break, I’m already bracing myself for another train wreck. 😓I desperately need to know where Darien’s and Loren’s lives are going. I can’t imagine a world where they don’t get their happy ending. I can’t imagine a world where one has to sacrifice their life for the other. I can’t imagine a world where the author doesn’t give them the justice they deserve. After everything, the least we can ask for is their happy ending.❤️‍🩹 I’m truly scared of where this is headed because the love they share is exactly the type of love I look for in books. This man loves her so much, yet it’s not all sexual or about her body and honestly, that’s exactly what BookTok needs.

The fourth book also brought me so much closer to Jewels and Travis. I actually need to see where their story goes, along with Max’s and Dallas’s. But I’m already mentally preparing for another heartbreak with Travis and Jewels because, let’s be real, it seems like the author hates happiness 😭 she literally woke up and chose violence. They deserve their happy ending too. They’ve been through thick and thin, and loving someone while mentally and physically holding yourself back because you’re sick with no cure? That makes me ill. I want my babies to finally get their happy ending. All of them.

Through these four books, they’ve all relied on one another and built a bond that feels like family to me. And don’t even get me started on Roman and Shay. Because I will fucking bawl. Every time I think about Roman’s past and his struggles, I feel sick. Why are those brothers suffering so much? And of course, they’re my favorites, which just makes it worse. The way Shay stubbornly went after Roman, risking her life for him, made my stomach drop to my knees.

“A life without Shay was like the world without rain. And Roman loved the rain.”

Yeah… I’m done. I’m not doing good at all 😭 I need book 5. And I need all of them to be happy. I can’t and won’t accept anything else. ( side note: so happy that the author is going publicly published we can buy the books in stores finally, her work so far is amazing💕)

[✨Caroline✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhhh why does it have to end on a cliffhanger??!!😭😭 this was perfection!! 6 stars!!!

Rtc!!!


pre-read:
Omggg one of my most anticipated releases this year!!! It came out a few days ago but I haven’t had time at all to read it but I’m gonna devour this!!! I finished the last book back in February and I’ve been thinking about the series every day since!! It’s already a 5 star!! I know it!😫😭

[Emma C. · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5 🌟

This was one of my most anticipated reads of this year which is why it pains me to write this review. But wow was that underwhelming. Such a let down.

The plot just refuses to move forward. At this point in time, with 4 long 800+ pages books, you would expect the plot, relationships, lore and world building to be well developed. It’s too many loose threads from the last books that never gets resolved or mentioned again which is starting to make me think that this isn’t as well thought through as I initially did. It feels like it’s all made up along the way.

I feel like the first half of the book could have been an email and I would rather eat cardboard than re-read that ever again. I’m just so over the authors need to assert over and over again that some characters are better than others.
For example: “and Shay was no Lace or Ivy. No matter how badly she wanted to be like them.” When in the history of all of these books has Shay ever had an inferiority complex to Lace or Ivy? The girl just barbecued a handful of darkslayers with her lightning for fucks sake.
Or: “but none was as dangerous as Darien” or “but only second most beautiful to Loren”
Like I get it ok!!! Just stop before I loose my last remaining brain cell.

Loren is the most insufferable and immature fmc. Her constant need for validation is just getting old at this point. She really doesn’t bring anything to the table in their relationship and doesn’t take any initiatives. Darien has given up so much for her and he tells her all the time how much she means to him. But every damn time she gives him a snarky response and I just don’t get why. She treats him like he’s gum stuck under her shoe. WHAT MORE CAN THE MAN DO FOR YOU, LOREN????!!!!! This is the fourth (!!!) book in the series and their relationship is still as shallow as in the first book. For the sake of this series I hope she goes into another coma and stays there. Good riddance. Darien deserves better.

The only reason I continued reading was because of Shay, Roman and Pax. They are the characters we deserve 🫶🏼 I really hope their relationship and dynamic will continue to evolve in the next book and not become stagnant like Loren and Darien, or take the backseat like Dallas and Max.
Now I rest my case. Bye

[Brittany Boggs · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like I read a completely different book than everyone giving this 5 stars. Literally nothing happened.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay. Lets all take a deep breathe and gather our thoughts....

Okay yeah, I can't do that either because WHAT. THE.FUCK.JUST.HAPPENED????

Just when you think this series has peaked — that it has to have peaked — it somehow gets even better. And then better again. And hold up, better again. This book was everything I hoped for and more.

At nearly 1,000 pages, it’s a pretty intimidating slab of a book. Every time I start one of these, I think, okay, this has to be the one where it starts dragging. Surely things will get repetitive. Surely my interest won’t survive a book this long. And, well… I am consistently and gloriously wrong. Just like the first three, this instalment is absolutely phenomenal. Somehow, despite the sheer length, the story must only span about two weeks in their universe and yet, nothing feels padded. Not a single page is wasted. I was fully locked in from start to finish.

One of the things this book did masterfully is split the characters across three different locations and events. This allows the story to explore everything that’s happening across their world, while giving each character space to grow and shine. With a character list this huge, it simply wouldn’t work if everyone stayed together — but when those rare, magical reunion moments do happen? Oh my god. Chills. Literal chills.

I am officially infatuated with this series. Why did I read these so fast? Why didn’t I slow down and savour them? I was just so desperate to know what happens next that I devoured them. Now I’m heartbroken its nearly over and I have to wait god knows how long for book 5. And honestly, I don’t even think I could pick a favourite character. I don’t even think I could narrow it down to a top five. I love them all.

I literally can’t review this properly because it’s book four in a massive series and everything I want to say is a spoiler. I am bursting to talk about what happens in this one. So please — if you’ve read it, I’m begging you — DM me immediately so we can scream into the void together.

What do I need to give for the ARC of book 5? What god do I pray to? What do I sacrifice? What witchcraft should I learn? Because Kayla, GIRL I will do whatever you need to reduce my wait for book 5.

Until we meet again, House Of Devils series 😘

[♡✿Mania⁠✿♡ ꒰drained out꒱ · Rating 5 out of 5]

♾️⭐s
˙⁠❥⁠˙⁠๑ ⁠~⁠ ⁠°⁠ દ⁠ ༶⁠ ｡"You are my present, my future and my eternity ,Loren."
   ɴᴏᴡ ᴘʟᴀʏɪɴɢ: Unconditionally ♡
    • Katy Perry •
────────⚪────────
       ◄◄⠀▐▐ ⠀►►
0:00 / 0:00 ───○ ♬ ᴴᴰ ⚙ ❐ ⮎1⮌


{ I WANT TO CRY RN THE ORGINAL REVIEW GOT 45,000+WORDS OVER THE LIMIT 😭)
🏹🔫~How do i even start ughhhh i can't explain what the house of devils seires means to me.  I need it injected to my vains💉 ,and HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO WAIT FOR THE NEXT BOOK LIKE I NEED IT RN kyala edwards i am distraught😭✋, THIS SERIES HAS RUINED MY LIFE IN THE BEST WAYS POSSIBLE, and the way it is criminally unerrated makes my blood boil. This was one of my most anticipated reads and it safe to to say that it more than just delivered it devoured!!, okay this might just be the most fast pased book  currently in the series  KYALA DROPPING TRUMA AFTER TRAUMA BOOM BOOM  EVERY OTHER PAGE IT HAD ME NAUSEOUS, I COULD NOT STOP TURNING THE PAGES THIS HAD ME AT THE EDGE OF MY SEAT THE WHOLE TIME CHWEING MY TOE NAILS ,THE PLOT WAS SOOOO GRIPPING IT HAD ME HOOKED LIKE EVERYTHING CLICKS, 🤯 answers as well , this books sets the next one perfectly it's like a bittersweetish cliffhanger and ik the next one is going to be the death of me😭🙏The anxiety+stress i had while reading this is unexplainable , I'VE NEVER felt this connected to a cast of characters  like these characters feel like family to me 😫🙌 , from the first book to the 4th the world building and the character development of the cast especially our main characters is done impeccably ,  just when i thought this series couldn't  get even better like the plot is so unique , the world building so detailed and don't even ot  me started on the action packed sences THEY ARE MIND BLOWING I kid you not the whole thing feels like it is playing right infront of your eyes💣.This book is 800+ pgs AND IT FELT SHORT TO MEEE we got even more new povs in this book🥳 ,every pov felt nseccary and every pov ended on a cliffhanger.I hope there are more new povs in the next book it just makes the book fast paced and much more entertaining. Y'ALL FILLER BOOK WHERE?!😠 ........AND I SWEAR IF HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF WITH DAREIN I GOING TO BE SO DONE( ifykyk)😤

🔥°~>For the Dariens and the Romans—those who shelter others when the rain gets heavy.
Remember to look after yourself, too.


⚡DARRIEN CASSEL⚡: y'all he he's my husband littrely no book man stants a chance against him he definitely my number 1 fantasy book bf, WHY ISN'T HE REAL?!!????!!!. THE YEARNING. THE YEARNING NO ONE DOES YEARNING LIKE DARIEN CASSEL (sp ‼️he literally tethered his life to the woman he loves giving up his immortality , He chose a few months with her over forever without.) he literally slept outside her bedroom door because she was mad at him while ( and he had his own bedroom but he didn't want to sleep without her or leave her unguarded 😭✋) , he went on his knees because he couldn't fathom her being mad at him anymore ,and these are just the 0.1%. of the things he has done for her he has it all acts of service, words of affirmation, physical touch , possessive enough and would sacrifice everything for her. Darien Cassel is not just a lover—he’s a protector,  w, he would die for the people he loves. He broke, shattered under the weight of what he’s endured (but kept it together for his families sake not caring about himself). They all did. Every character bled. But his love for his found family, his fellow devils—it’s just… demolishing.
'HE IS WHAT Y'ALL CALL A MAN A MAN A MAAAANNN'
No one deserves happiness more than him.

💗~> as life was blown to bits all around him, all he felt, all he saw—
It was all her. Just her.

💗~> Do you think she’ll stay mad at us for long?’ ‘I hope not.’ If she did, he really would get on his knees this time. Crawl. Beg. He had no shame when it came to her.

💗~>“You’re my everything, Loren.
I need you to understand that. You’re my whole world. I love you more than I can put into words, but I’m trying, baby, I’m trying to express myself properly, but gods, it’s hard.” He forced a chuckle, and when she looked him in the eyes she saw that they were shining, the dark fringe of his lashes damp. He continued, “No words are good enough to adequately express how I feel for you. I just— I’m begging you to forgive me, sweetheart. Please.”

💗~>“You sure you want to be the one pointing that gun?” Darien snapped.
“I’m in love with this woman, and you’re not going to like the animal I’ll
become if you take her from me.”

💗~>The world may be loud, and the future uncertain, but this…this was
what heaven felt like.
This woman and her beautiful soul were his heaven.

🌼🌈LOREN CALLA: Ok ngl in this book loren did really really annoy me at times but i do understand her i am not saying what she did was right (minor spoiler ‼️‼️ what happened happened she does have every right to be mad at darein but what he did he did for her ,now the logical thing was to spend as much time together even though its running out because of the bad luck that follows my babies everywhere i swear Kayla if this doesn't get sorted out and loren doesn't become immortal or something I AM COMING FOR YOU) but i get it she was scared and i do relate to her like you have so much to say and want to say , express but you can't explain your feelings because it makes you feel vulnerable and see through so instead you just shut people out( it isn't healthy). She is still one of my fav fmc because of her realness, my girl she is soooo sooo selfless she isn't given enough credit for it, like she is one of those fmc's that will show you that true power doesn't need to be physical the heart of a person could be the strongest weapon, my girl saved the world multiple of times without caring about her life and she almost died , i can't even imagine what this poor girl endured in the span of only 6 months, .if bad luck was a thing it has attached it's self to her — their life, but not everythings bad because if it weren't for the bad luck chasing her she wouldn't have met DARREN CASSEL  , Loren—she loves Darien even when he forgets how to love himself and the things she sacrificed for him i am in tears rn. She’d face the world just to shield him. Her love is fierce, unwavering and see's the Darein behind the Devil .

💗~> Darien noticed immediately, his eyes—so full of rage and self-loathing —snapping to her face.She held his lethal stare. I’m not afraid of you, she thought. I see you,Darien, and you do not scare me.

💗~>Saving the man she loved had become her one and only goal. Ever since the night she learned of Darien’s trade, all she cared about was finding a way to reverse it. To give him back the years he never should have lost. And now that she knew how to save him, she was hurtling straight toward that goal.
She would not rest until she achieved it.

💗~>“It isn’t fair.” The statement came out
on a shallow, pained breath.
“It’s life.” The Widow’s tone was gentle. Compassionate. “Nothing is
ever fair.”
“I love him so much.” Tears slid down her face.
“I know, my dear,” said the Widow. “I know.”
—>>>DARIEN & LOREN
They are the definition of soulmates the love they have for each other is JUST EARTH SHATTERING, they would do any thing any thing to protect each other. Hopefully there not but they just give me this star crossed lovers vibes. They’re the kind of couple I could read about forever—even the most basic things, like how they fold laundry, steal glances over coffee, or exist quietly in the same room—everything about them feels like a story worth telling. I am soooooooooooo sooooooooo scared for where the next book is headed the epilogue abouslutely shattered me. KYALA EDWARDS IF THEY DO NOT GET A HAPPY ENDING I AM COMING FOR YOU🔪🔪

💗~>“ “No matter how many times you try to die, I’m not letting you go, sweetheart. Ever.”

💗~ There is no after. Understand? Even if my life wasn’t tied to yours, there would be no one after you. If you think for one second that I would be able to move on after everything we’ve been through together—” He sucked in a breath and pushed his hair out of his face. “Then I guess I need to do a better job of showing you just how insanely in love with you I am. Don’t I? Because I am, Loren—insanely in love with you. Whether you hate me or not, whether you want to be with me or not, and whether you refuse to believe me or not. And I will spend the rest of my life—our life—showing you just how much I care.

💗~>It was funny—he was the one who protected her physically, but she was the one who protected him mentally, emotionally. She took care of him in the areas where he struggled to take care of himself. He felt at peace when he was with her, and each day he was blessed to spend with her was a gift.
 
💥ROMAN: ROMAN SHADOWS DEVLIN  THE. MAN. YOU. ARE  🙌 . The way he sacrificed everything for his brothers safety my heart is in shambles for the torcher he barely survived. Jealous roman is my new fav, yeah he was an asshole to shay at times  but not because he wanted to , he was trying to protect her and he loved her too much to be selfish and the reson for her death he was just scared and the plot twist regarding him made me audibly gasp. I can't wait to get more of him!!

💗~"I never want to hear another mans name on your lips again."

💗~The thought of losing her again was enough to nearly bring him to his knees. A life without Shay wasn’t a life he wanted to live. A life without Shay was like the world without rain. And Roman loved the rain.

💗~“I love you, too, Shayla
Cousens. I’m so. Fucking. In love with you that I—” He looked away for a moment, and then finished, “—I can’t ignore it anymore. I am thoroughly and hopelessly in love with you.”

🌻SHAYLA: i think she might just be close to beating Loren as my numberfemale character in the series. She is just so cunning, bold,sassy and not in an annoying way, ohh and i forgot to add extremely brave, selfless and drop dead gorgeous . She doesn't need any weapon to kill you she just needs to use her clever little brain and your as good as dead, the scene where she lightens up her and tanners kidnappers on fire was so ICONIC. The way she fought to stick with roman throught all odds and threats even when he tried ro drive her away my heart broke for her when she cast a facade of not being bothered by Roman's nonchalant ness deep down she was hurting sooo much,she has abdoment issues for them most her mother is cruel to her, her father left her and the sister who actually loved her is dead . You could feel how genuinely she loves and cares for paxton as her own , there bond is just soo wholesome.

💗~ "You want to leave to save me, and I want to stay to save you."

💗~ “Yeah, Shayla, I’m here,” he panted. “I’m here.”
“I love you,” she whispered.
.
—>>>ROMAN& SHAYLA
I was rooting for them sooo much since the last book i needed them reunited asap, and when they finally meet idk about 200+ pgs in it felt like everything slowed down for that exact eye contact, THE BANTER..THE TENSION BETWEEN THESE TWOO.....MMMM.. SCRUMPTIOUS😋😋,  Roman , paxton and shay are my cutu little family i love them smmmmm!!
And the best thing is that they don't for shadow the main couple they have their own uniqueness ,and after sm pushing and pulling, they finally confessed my heart was on cloud 9 i was crying tears of joy and i can't wait to see how there relationship process throughout the next books. there still in smm danger .
💗~You were never just a fling. You’re so much more than that.

💗~ “Paxton and I were lost before you came along,” he whispered,
his words coasting across her mouth. “When we look at you…we both feel
like we’re home. Like we finally have a home.” He lifted his head and
flattened his hand over her heart. “You stole my heart, Shay.”
“Well, in my defense, I am a thief,” she said.

💗~ Their world may be falling apart, but this right here...
No one could touch this. No one could take away what they had.
They would rebuild. Someway. Somehow.
Together, the Shadowmaster and the Selkie would rebuild.

✨ RANKING ✨
1💜°• DAREIN
2💜°•LOREN
3💜°•SHAYLA
4💜°•TRAVIS—: (He and Malakai wouldn’t let anything—not even death—get in the way of roasting each other (literally),  even in the tensest, highest-stakes moments. They’re just that entertaining.
… my heart shattered when he along with the few others got trapped in Yeswis, convinced he’d never get the chance to apologize to his brothers, never speak to the rest of the Devils again. The thought of him carrying that guilt in silence—ugh, it broke me , he reminded me to enjoy and be grateful even the smallest things/moments in life cuz you never know when your times up .And Travis—Travis around Jewels is a whole different brand of adorable chaos. The way he gets all flustered, spiraling into panic because he thinks she doesn’t like him? HE'S SUCH A BBG. I love him so much it’s not even funny.)
5💜°•ROMAN
6💜°•LACEY—: ( she the most badass female character in this series both mentality wise and physicaly, you don't want to get on her badside or else she plunge your heart out alive and smash your brains out then shred you into pieces. I am so intrigued by her though her first impressions was definitely questionable as the books progressed she grew on me alot and is definitely in my top 3 girlies. She definitely one of those misunderstood mean girls, i love her smmm!! the little bits of her past broke me i can't imagine what she went through i want more povs of her, and don't get me wrong Loren and Darien are the ones for eachother and you never change my mind about that LOREN IS THE GIRL FOR DAREIN ,but i am still very curious on why she and darein broke up and what happened between them.But i love how strong her and Loren's bond) has gotten.)
7💜°•MAXIMUS—: (Max is such a golden character i can not , Again the trauma this guy went through agrhhhhhh , but his determination aand belief in the peoples he loves is exceptional, he deserves the world, he went through smm much in this book  but he did not give up on his sister , he is definitely one of my absolute favourite characters... his and Darein's fight physically hurt me even though it wasn't either of there fauls but the guilt they both went through shattered my heart!!)
8💜°•IVYANA( ngl she was a bit tooo hard on loren at the start of this book but i understand her feelings she loves her brother alot, and she and loren finally embraced i cried a whole bunch i love their bond smmm!.. ivy is definitely one of my favourite females in this series soft but extremely badass, and is really down to earth but that does not mean she won't gutt you, she is like the big sister of the group looking out for everyone one, i feel like she is a character you could ask all your girl problems to and she'll give you the best advice.)
9💜°•PAXTON
10💜°•JACK
11💜°•TANNER.
12💜°•DALLAS
13💜°•MALAKAI
14💜°•AURTHER
15💜°•JWELES
16💜°•SABRINE
17💜°•DOMNIC
18💜°•MAYA
19💜°•BLUE
20💜°•KAYLAR
21💜°•TAMIKA—: (The way i was looking forward to seeing more of her in this book  , i was sooo shocked to find out that she got stabbed and then went into a coma )
22💜°•EUGENE
23💜°•ASPEN
24💜°•CASEN
25💜°•LOGAN
26💜°•MAGNETA
27💜°•CONRAD
28💜°•ROAK—: He definitely surprised me by his character development, but i don't think i can forgive him for neglecting his daughters especially Dallas but he is a baggilion times better than Erasmus (Loren's biological father ) atleast he was there for her , not always but it is a strong start , and i definitely prefer him over Tega. The part where Loren cried holding onto him (because Darien wasn't waking up ) as he held her , it cracked me  i cried soooo hard while reading that , i look forward to a better side of him.
29💜°•DEAN
30💜°•CRYSTHAYNA
31💜°•TEGA
32💜°•CYRA
33💜°•ERASMUS

✨OTHER COUPLES✨

🔥IVY& JACK: there  love is soooooo underated i think there the only married couple in the gang. My baby jacky is soo cute he is usually always filled with jokes but when ivy stayed back to find tanner and the kids with the other group and sended him back Home with Darein and his group he was sulking and panicking about ivy still being traped there that he refused to eat, sleep or do anything until ivy's back safe and sound , he locked him self in there room refusing to talk to anyone and when they finally reunites it was the one of the most wholesome moment everrr!!! there my comfort couple.
🦋~“Ivy!” Her name tore out of Jack on a ragged sob.
Ivy dropped her bag, meeting Jack in a run.
He swept her off her feet and into a spinning hug.
🦋~This—Jack’s love for Ivy—was exactly what had earned him the title of the seventh Devil. A permanent spot in their family.
🔥MAX& DALLAS: there relationship has progressed so much and i am so proud of them ,  . dallas was so supportive of max in this book she stuck by him when no one else did , she also help him in finding maya and took the risks with him. max on the other hand sees dallas truly , her insecurities, fears and the little girl traped in her mind . Sure they've had there ups and downs but that shows how much they mean to each other.. they still have a long way to go and i couldn't be more happy to read about it!
🦋~Dal, if you die in here⁠—” “Then at least I’ll be with you,” she said firmly.
🦋~“How do I look?”
Max smiled. “Like you,” he told her.
🔥TRAVIS& JWELES: there so precious , your honour i love them, they both  have these fragile feelings and fears i adore them smm and it not even funny anymore, I genuinely can't wait to see how there relationship will progress!
🦋~ “Just for the record,” Jewels began, sniffling in the cold, “if I could
spend my last minutes with anyone…anyone in the world…” She tilted her
head to peek up at him. “I would choose to spend them with you, Travis.”
🦋~“Two years or two days—it doesn’t matter to me, Jewels,” he said, his
voice gruff. “It doesn’t change that fact that I really…really…really…really…like you.”
🔥BLUE& DOMNIC: ugghhhhhhh the way i have wanted there povs since book 2,  even the most platonic bits make me giggle. Like imagine (or not?!)an angle of death falling hard for a torcuched element girl who has no memories of her past and can only speak an ancient language. He teaches her how to speak in English DOESN'T THAT SOUND SOOO GOODDD ( HE LITTERLY DOES IN THE PREVIOUS BOOKS).
🦋~It was Dominic, black wings spread. In his arms, he carried Blue.
🔥LOGAN& SABRINE: we got nothing from them in this book 😭😭 but i am soo confused for the past 3 books it felt like they were dating or somethin but nothings confirmed 🤞..hope to see more of them in the next books.
🦋~Glass smashed and wood snapped as her father burst out of the bedroom and raced after her, screaming his lungs out. If he kept up with the hollering, Logan would surely come in here and maul him to death—
🔥MALAKAI& AESPEN: i feel like aespen is the one who really understands malakai and if malakai stopped being such a brute there perfect for each other and really compatible there cute ngl but there my least favourite couple in the series.
🦋~ “Aspen, actually. She said I’m a dick for putting everyone in danger,
and I kinda like her, so. You get what you want.

————> And ohhhhh do i smell something brewing between Lacey and Kaylar?!?????!!

[ciana · Rating 5 out of 5]

♾️/⭐️: thank you so much kayla and her team for this arc!

—

let me just start by saying this is one of my favorite series of all time and every single book gets better!!

everything about COSAB was absolute PERFECTION: the pacing, world building, romance, suspense. i genuinely had my eyes glued to this and only stopped reading it so i could sleep, and even then i was hesitant to put it down. i tried to keep count of how many times i crashed out but lost track because i swear it was EVERY SINGLE CHAPTER. i have never been more stressed reading a book in my life but it was SO worth it.

i can’t say too much since last book left on a massive cliffhanger, but the progression of the relationships throughout this book were done so well and written so beautifully. i have never read a series where i care about every single character until this one (which kinda scares me 🫣).

the intricate magic system and world building is what really takes the cake for me in this series. it’s unlike any other book i’ve read and is so unique it keeps me hooked the whole time! to be able to create such a complex universe and weave multiple storylines together is so difficult, but kayla does it so incredibly well. and when you think things can’t get any crazier… they do!

darien and loren - that is all. 🥹🫶🏻

it’s safe to say i’m absolutely foaming at the mouth for the next book. kayla please never stop writing because i will read anything you give us. ❤️


“𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒎𝒂𝒚 𝒃𝒆 𝒍𝒐𝒖𝒅, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒖𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒖𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒓𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔…𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒇𝒆𝒍𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆. 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝒔𝒐𝒖𝒍 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒏.”

[Yeg · Rating 3 out of 5]

What the helly?? No because this was one of most anticipated sequel and it didn't deliver 😭I still swallowed it all whole in like 3 days true, but I'm afraid this series is falling down the rabbit whole when author wants to expand her series into more than 3 books and you get at least 1 or 2 book filler. I didn't have a problem with the last sequels, so this could have been the finale imo.

The beginning of this book had some great tension and action, and by the half way point I was getting bored with it all. This was a 900+ page book with almost zero plot movement and character development. I know this isn’t the most well written series but I was so excited for this release because of how book 3 set this up. And then nothing?

• No progress with closing the veil or going after the imperator

• The police conflict with Darien just felt weak and pointless, there to create some drama

• Erasmus and Cyra were MIA the entire time

• Max and Dallas’s relationship takes a backseat in this book and they have almost no meaningful page time

• Loren upset about Darien’s bargain and not talking to him, then for them to agree to tell the truth and communicate with each other, and in like the next paragraph she decides to hide what’s going on with her from him (this made me want to throw my kindle)

• 'Loren really comes into her own' and so the whole time I was reading it I was waiting for that happen. Did she???? No!

• Shay and Roman’s relationship felt so hollow in this book imo.

Am I hallucinating about this?

[Alex Cali · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am unwell.

Thank you Kayla for the ARC of my most anticipated read of the year, which did not disappoint IN THE SLIGHTEST.

This picks up shortly after CoLaL, and the insanity does not fucking stop. I’m telling you, I couldn’t breathe or relax or even SIGH. Once one chapter ended, more chaos ensued, and then we switched to a new POV and the same cycle repeated itself over and over and basically all my hair has been ripped out of my head.

This was a nonstop, action packed, EMOTIONAL roller coaster. The found family aspect grew with such intensity, and I found myself obsessing over every. Single. Character. Except Donovan Slade. He can go fuck himself…

The whole plot was dark, spooky, horror perfection, with more monsters, more mysterious deaths, more revelations…it was just MORE.

Darien and Loren, where do I even begin. I was angry, sobbing, terrified, and swooning for these two. Darien Cassel was Darien Casseling so hard, self-sacrificing to no extent, and just solidifying his place as my all time fave book husband. The LOVE this man has along with his brutality.
How can you not love this man!? Loren enraged me at times, but Kayla does such a good job of capturing characters voices and perspectives, that I could completely understand my girls feelings. She continues to be the soft and resilient FMC that I will die on a hill for.

Roman and Shay were equally enticing and Travis and Jewels had me sobbing a few times.

Kayla is a master at sucking you into her world, and that was no different in the fourth addition to the House of Devils series. I laughed. I cried. I cackled (thanks Malakai). I STRESSED. Ugh, it was everything.

I hate that it’s over. For now. Gimme book five STAT.

[Alexis · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐

I'm officially so obsessed with this series. All this book did was solidify that Darien and Roman are definitely top book bfs rn....jk it did more than that, but I'm 100% obsessed with them. I swear I was having heart palpitations for the first 60% of this bc of how intense and action packed it was. This book definitely solidified this series as one of my top romantasy series I've ever read. This plot continues to become more complex and intriguing in the best way and I am SO excited to see where it goes. I absolutely love all of these characters so much...they feel like my new family 🫶🏻

[Ky (kys.bookish.adventures) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Infinity stars!

Spoiler free review:

Kayla Edwards never ceases to amaze me with this series. It’s above and beyond the best urban fantasy I’ve ever read and quickly has become one of my favorite series of all time. I had high expectations for book 4 based on how amazing the last three books have been and it totally delivered. I read the book in just over a day even with the length of it as it was so all consuming and pulls you in from page one. I laughed, cried, swooned and went through every single emotion I swear.

This book was SO action packed, never a dull moment and every single chapter had me BEYOND stressed for the fate of our characters but in the most exciting and compelling way. When Kayla said everyone is in danger this book she was not lying and the stress I felt for them just strengthens how amazing the characters are written that it evokes such a response.

Even with all the action, the character moments, romance and the found family are such a core of this whole series and the lengths the characters will go for each other especially in this book always make me emotional. Darien Cassel is forever a favorite MMC and his commitment to the people he loves in this book was everything. The relationships, while for sure challenged at times in this book, are written so real. I absolutely loved getting to dive deeper into other characters this book as well and seeing the dynamics between groups of characters.

There were also some twists and turns that I did not see coming and I almost always predict most things!

The ending had me on the edge of my seat but leaves me with many theories and I think it perfectly sets up the next book!

Anyways this is basically just me gushing over this series to avoid any spoilers but please check it out!

Thank you so much to Kayla Edwards for the eARC!

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, this book was jam-packed with constant action. I swear, none of them had a reprieve.

I loved that we got multiple POV's in this one.

Loren was not a favorite for me in this one. I found her to be really annoying for the first 70% or so, which makes me really sad, because I've liked her up until now.

But the star(s) of the book for me were Roman and Shay. God, I love these two so so much!! And then you add in Paxton and it's just perfect.

The ending was crammed with so much. The next one can't come out soon enough!!

[Andrea Cramer · Rating 4 out of 5]

PLEASE Kayla. I need this NOW.

Edit:

Finished the actual book last night and idk how to feel about it. While I love being in the world with these characters I feel like it was so incredibly long and all that happened was the group split up. Then got back together. Like….. everything that happened with Loren was done off page. There were a few hints here and there I just would have liked to have seen more of her actions and journey to finding out how to save Darien from the deal he made and how tf did she know she could cast illusions? That just came out of nowhere.

I’m ride or die for these books, and don’t even get me started on Roman and Shay cause they’re the BEST, but I wish there was less volume but more content, if that makes any kind of sense.

[Petra · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was so disappointing, I actually created a Goodreads account just to say how much it let me down. I really liked the beginning of this series. The worldbuilding had promise, the lore was intriguing, and Darien, at first, felt like a genuinely compelling main character. There was so much potential here. That’s why this installment is so disappointing — it takes everything that worked in the beginning and completely buries it under nonstop chaos and shallow drama.

From page one, it’s non-stop action. And not the kind that builds tension or pays off emotionally — no. This is chaos for the sake of chaos. Every chapter is a new disaster stacked on top of the last one, and just when you think things might settle for a second, nope. Something else goes wrong. And then another thing. And then another. It’s like the author decided the only way to move the plot forward was by continuously throwing the characters into hell with no break, no breath, no pacing.

The result? Total emotional numbness. I’m so exhausted by the endless, over-the-top “everything is going wrong” storytelling that I genuinely stopped caring about any of the characters. If they’d all died halfway through, I think I would’ve felt relief — at least the book would’ve ended.

It doesn’t feel tense or thrilling. It feels cheap. Manufactured misery. There’s no room to connect with the characters or feel the stakes because everything is so aggressively overblown and constant. I caught myself laughing — not because it’s funny, but because it’s just that ridiculous.

And then there’s the characters — specifically Darien and Loren. I’ve disliked Loren since the very first book. She’s selfish, emotionally immature, and contributes absolutely nothing. Every time Darien does something that isn’t 100% aligned with her expectations, she punishes him with coldness or drama. She doesn’t listen, doesn’t think, and spends more time sulking than doing anything meaningful. She’s a walking tantrum.

And sadly, Darien — who used to have potential — just ends up looking worse by association. It’s hard to root for a main character who chooses someone so unlikable, and keeps choosing her, over and over, even as she drags him down. In the beginning, he had some edge, some intrigue. Now? He’s basically her doormat. A shadow of the badass we started with. Just a tired, lovesick version of himself with no spine and nothing left to say that isn’t centered around Loren’s endless emotional mess.

By this fourth book, it’s a new low. Their relationship dynamic has devolved into something so shallow and melodramatic it’s bordering on parody. The miscommunication, the one-sided emotional labor, the constant bickering — at this point, it honestly feels like a Mexican telenovela, and not even a good one. I’m just waiting for someone to throw themselves down a staircase for the full effect.

What could’ve been a compelling continuation in the series ended up as a burnout slog of forced drama and bad pacing. I really wanted to like this. I’ve followed the series this far. But City of Smoke and Brimstone was just… too much, too fast, too often, and ultimately, too empty.

[siu · Rating 4 out of 5]

so so happy to be back in the universe ♡ヽ(≧◡≦)ﾉ but also, not loren still being upset about the darien's revelation from the end of book 3 still. shutting darien out for 2/3 of THIS book. HE WAS SUCH A SAD PUPPY (internally. he's still a big tough guy on the outside). almost a smidge pathetic when comparing his lovesick POVs to hers😭

loren is so DUMB. SHE KNOWS SHE DOESN'T HAVE MUCH TIME LEFT BUT IS SHUTTING DARIEN OUT. BTCHHHHHHHH !!! LET THE MAN STOP HURTING !!!! i think this book is my least favorite loren ngl. there were so many opportunities for her to say the right words to fix things but she chose not to or thought darien wanted to be alone.

i wish we had more happy moments between them in this book. i know they were just tryna survive though. book 4 put them through the wringer. i can't wait for book 5 !! especially bc of that ending😭 Part V had me stressed lmao

(going to reread book 1 now. i always get the urge to after every new release help)

[ifwtrufflefries · Rating 3 out of 5]

imagine every single side character outshining the main leads…that’s this series for you

soo i have quite a few gripes with this book unfortunately. to preface, i really enjoyed the 3rd installment of this series, but i’m not sure this managed to maintain the same momentum.

starting with the two main characters because i think they’re actually the least interesting and most underdeveloped of the cast. for the usual amazing special powered fmc, loren doesn’t feel well fleshed out and honestly her chapters are a snoozefest. she’s either in a coma or crying or feeling sad about life - and i get the feeling it’s supposed to make me emphasise with her, but it gets to a point. like how many times do we get a scene where she almost dies and then darien goes beast mode and then the cycle repeats, except it happens so often im lowkey desensitised to her near deaths 😭 (she also does nothing BUT cry and sitting around doing nothing in this book lmao)

then we have darien who has 0 personality other than being obsessed with loren and you know what i have to say it: meeting this woman for a few months and then going so far as to prioritise her over your family and loved ones you’ve known for years is NOT a love story i can get behind. it’s just *insert eye roll* because i love a good it’s all or nothing romance but jesus how did it go from the found family in books 1-3 to whatever deluded ideals in this one? + atp reading the chapters with these two has become a stupid game of guess which person has a near or literal death experience at the end of the book

then we have roman and shay, the ship i adored most the previous book. here though … the amount of times roman practically humiliated shay publicly in this book rubs me the wrong way. i needed more groveling from him because it’s just absolutely cruel to lead someone on and then turn around to tell them they mean nothing to you. and i get it - he needs to protect her! but attempting to abandon the said love of your life (which seems to happen every 4 pages) is seriously the dumbest way to do so. still love them though & the main reason i’m giving this 3 stars

but there are some positives. i find that kayla has done an incredible job with the ensemble cast. there were so many povs but i truly enjoyed all the secondary characters. it just seems she can’t do the same for her main two leads which is rather ironic but still. it makes you really invested in the overall series and i’ll be anticipating the finale book!

[mags · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75⭐️ I LOVE THIS SERIES SO SO SO SO SO MUCH!!!!!! I can't believe I have to wait so long for the next book 😭😭😭


⚠️⚠️⚠️SPOILERS⚠️⚠️⚠️
things i loved/random comments:
-loren annoyed a bit in the first half when she wouldn't tell darien that she loved him, even tho she was mad at him and he thought she didn't love him anymore ☹️ she was so mad (understandable) but nothing he could do would make it better and i feel like they just had the same argument over and over, but then it got better so it's okay!
-DARIEN I LOVE YOU!!!!! him and loren are EVERYTHING to me
-darien is just SO obsessed with loren and I LOVE ITTT
-i swear these books go by soooooo fast
-i wish we got more of dallas and max's relationship, i feel like in book 2 we got a good bit of them and i loved it so much, but now i feel like we get barely anything 🥲
-ROMAN AND SHAY MY LOVERS❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹 so happy they were able to finally work things out and say i love you to eachother!!!!
-MORTY IS BACK WHOOOOOOOO
-my poor baby paxton 😭😭😭 i want to give him the biggest hug
-also i can't believe that timeline wise it's only been 6 months since the beginning of book 1!! and this whole book took place in the span of what, 1 week?? maybe 2?? so crazy!

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

♾️⭐️ I’m going to need 3 business days to process the events of this book.

🌈

I just need my precious Roman & Shay reunited 😭