Heavy spoilers, read at your own risk!
This book was promising to me after the 1st, but fell so far from the mark its crazy. Not only is everything happening with Ryls a far stretch from reality (even for a book focused on magic and supernaturals) but all the added sub plots gave me whiplash!
From more mates appearing out of nowhere. Ryls sudden immense power level and control over that power when she's had no training? A random wolf shifter 'guide' that's supposed to be a helping hand to Ryls (with a lifetime of training from ancestors that are all knowing of phoenix shifters?) A lab that is ‘top secret’ and hunting powerful shifters for experiments, holding on to these shifters for decades, and only to be found after Ryls is taken? Getting a hint of Ryls past and that what she knows about her life isn’t true, and she must now ‘learn the truth’. To her having more power than any other phoenix shifter before her and a spirit animal that is a cause of concern by her guide. The random concern of double crossing agents which just so happened to be the ‘true’ cause of concern in the 1st book for her mates not to accept her? And then finally, the fact that mates of the phoenix shifter have to mate her or they all die, her included? (this was never mentioned before her guide showed up, so I’m lead to believe, that it’s just a phoenix thing?)
There’s still more that I can’t remember, so many little things that add up once you start to realize that nothing in this book makes sense. I think the author was trying to weave a great story that would keep readers on their toes, but that didn’t happen. I’m really surprised that this book has so many high reviews. At this point I’m not even concerned with the next book in the series. From the way this one ended it seems to be taking yet another turn, and I don’t think I can handle anymore randomness like what was is this book.
I’m not trying to drag the author down or talk crap about their work. But if everyone just leaves a good review because some aspects of the book were good/ok, or because they feel that work deserves praise because someone put a lot of effort into it, then no author would know where to grow and how to be a better writer. Maybe I’m in the minority here, since there are so many high reviews, but I just couldn’t find an aspect of this book that I liked.