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Taylor

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Taylor is Currently Reading

Taylor is currently reading

Daggermouth (The Heart, #1)

by H.M. Wolfe (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

Reading for the 2nd time

read in February 2026

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Taylor said: " I mean.. what can I say about this book that will do it justice, and that someone else hasn't already said??
In 3 short words: Worth. The. Hype. Every bit of it. I feel like I just finished my favorite book of the year and it's only mid February. If I mean.. what can I say about this book that will do it justice, and that someone else hasn't already said??
In 3 short words: Worth. The. Hype. Every bit of it. I feel like I just finished my favorite book of the year and it's only mid February. If you're contemplating starting this book: just do it now. As someone who avoids starting an incomplete series, the fomo was real and I have very minimal regrets. I'm so happy to be a part of this hype and am on the edge of my seat for the next one in the best way possible.

The writing style was beautifully descriptive, raw, violent, and brutal, and you could feel the author's honest rage dripping from every chapter. This book is not cozy, sweet, or warm. At any point. But that's what makes it brilliant. The world created is not soft and the characters do not show mercy. They do what they must to survive, and hope to overturn a corrupt system in the process.
I'm not typically the biggest fan of 3rd person writing but this story flowed so perfectly, I was still able to feel like I'm in each character's head in a way I usually only feel in 1st person perspectives. That allowed me to develop connections with multiple characters in a deeper way.

These characters are put through some of the hardest challenges I've ever read and while it made me sick to my stomach at times, I feel so proud of their vulnerability and the way they opened up to those around them who had similar goals. I yearn for them to find eventual peace and are able to love fully without fear and mistrust. Each character is so beautifully complex and peeling back all the layers that make up each individual character is such a treat.

The literal only critique I have is that the form of government is a little unclear. They call the leader the president and they seem to have a type of commitee/group of higher ups (I forget what exactly they're called) but otherwise it feels like a dictatorship? Some of the plot might have been in jeopardy if the "president" could get away with literally anything so I feel like there was some kind of ruling system that kept him tied up in red tape in a way, but it also made it seem like he made all the decisions/rules and could do as he pleased without repercussions. Idk. Hopefully book 2 will clear up whether he has limitations or not and what his motives were in some of the more questionable parts of his decision making.

Someone said that once the chapter titles turn into timestamps: it's time to lock in for the rest of the book. And I'm so glad I saw that, because the last 10% was an insane roller coaster ride. Every time you start to get a grip on the latest twist, here comes another one! It was fast paced, incredibly suspenseful, and a crazy way to end a book. I'm so happy I only have to wait for one more book, unlike the Emyprean cliffhanger I've been hanging on for the last couple years 😅

Needless to say: I'll be screaming about this book for the foreseeable future, so be prepared to be sick of me 🤣 ...more "

Feb 18, 2026 03:58PM · see review