4.5 astounded stars 
 How is this book still under the radar?? 
 I adored it. 
 Where to even begin? 
 We have two kingdoms at war - the Kayans and the absolute barbaric Pirenti. And by barbaric, I am being quite literal. It is a kingdom where men challenge one another when they want what the other has, in a fight to the death. Everything they do is about strength, looking weak is not allowed. Women are oppressed, possessions and nothing more. And the most barbaric of them all and the only women not opressed - The Barbarian Queen. 
 "Do you know why I don't let women rule in this country?" she asked me. "Why I don't allow them any positions of power?" 
 She is crazy. That's all I say. 
 For full disclosure, the romantic element is somewhat prominent in this book in all POV's. Not at all in a sappy-make-you-cringe way, in a subtle way that has me leaning a bit more towards adult than YA. More meaningful, I guess? It's all so complicated, and love on it's own is not explored. Grief, sacrifice, forgiveness, redemption and so much more. 
 "It's simple, being hurt. But it's complicated, loving someone." 
 "Who has ever loved as boldly as he does?" 
 There is a plot - the fate of a Kingdom. Two actually. And it is intriguing. There are crazy twists at the end that had me gaping at my Kindle. 
 But this book is about four people, moments that change them, and how these changes can change everything. 
 We have Ava, a Kayan who's bondmate has died. And somehow, she survived. Kind of. 
 She is a half-walker. A person with only half a soul. She does not feel emotions as she should, and cannot find joy in anything. She doesn't know how she survived but she can only imagine it was for one reason - to avenge her bondmate. 
 Ava is broken and bitter, focused and determined - but most of all, she is absolutely lost. And though she has her purpose of vengeance, she has given up. 
 "I wouldn't pick you as the kind of man who'd care to die nicely." 
 He leant forward, lacing his hands together. "How do you think I'd like to die?" 
 "In a blaze of ice and fury." He was from Pirenti, after all. 
 The corner of his mouth hitched up at that, but it was a humourless expression, one filled with chipped edges and painted regrets. "And you?" he asked. " How would you like to die, Avery of Kaya?" 
 I picked up the oars and started to row. 
 "I'm already dead, Ambrose."" 
 But then somehow, she's not dead anymore. But she still wants to be. 
 " And then I stopped thinking about Prince Ambrose of Pirenti, because he was destroying me." 
 Ambrose is the second Prince of Pirenti. On the outside he represents everything a man of Pirenti should be - 
 a man forged in iron 
 . But he doesn't agree with the gruesome ways of his Kingdom. 
 He is the perfect example of 'actions speak louder than words.' 
 He doesn't let his kingdom shape him, he has become a man of his own and fights small battles to be stay his own man. 
 (view spoiler)[I absolutely loved the fact that Ambrose fell in love with Ava as Avery. He fell in love with who she was, as she was, in spite of the fact that he had never been attracted to a man before. In spite of the fact that his people would shun him if they knew. It felt so much more real than when the guy only develops feelings once he knows it's actually a woman. Gender barriers - demolished! (hide spoiler)]. 
 I loved the friendship that develops between these two, how honest they are with one another and how subtly they support each other. 
 "I keep asking myself why this happened," I told him softly. "How you and I could have possibly ended up here, together. I think I'm supposed to help you realise." 
 "Realise what?" 
 "The man you will be." 
 Thorne, the Crown Prince of Pirenti is a very complicated character. In the beginning, I detested him. He is the prime Pirenti specimen because of his size, fighting abilities and characteristics- cruel, brutish and unforgiving. Primal. His behaviour had me enraged and I wanted him gone. But by the end of the book I was quite fond of him, he managed at least a little redemption. 
 "And that was when I realised I wasn't the strongest man in the world after all. I was the weakest." 
 Rose is the sweetest character I have ever 'met', and slightly confusing. She is extremely endearing and you will definitely want to protect her! 
 I can't say all the wonderful things I want to without giving much away, but I definitely whole-heartedly recommend this book.