Not a “who” but “what.” The quotation mark (“) at the end of the story was mine because it was a dumpster fire. I gave it 2 stars for all the things u said at the end. I was excited about this one, and 250 pages in I had to stop. Just picked it back up and finished it this week, but it was a struggle.
I frikken love the joining! These are not humans. Poppy is a Primal god. Cas is an elemental Atlantian and Kieran is a wolven who has been bonded with Cas for almost 2 centuries! When their physical bond broke kieran was then notam bonded with Poppy. All of this is natural. They all love each other and want to keep each other safe and not live without each other. It's a different type of love between poppy and Cas. I do not see it as an issue whatsoever and will only bring them closer as a bonded immortal family. Get a grip people.
I'm team joining too. JLA can take it either way. She can make it throuple romance or keep their dynamic the same as the end of this book. But I'll be happy either way coz PoppyCas endgame won't change
Hearing your thoughts about the Joining and Cas/Poppy/Kieran relationship dynamic helped me feel validated about my thoughts!! Reading the 1 star reviews on goodreads were pretty discouraging and scary ngl. It's so interesting to see how strongly people feel towards this book and JLA
Right!!! I just now looked at the Goodreads reviews and they are intense. I have nothing against people who didn’t enjoy the book and rated it low but some of the reviews are extremely harsh towards JLA 😳
I personally didn’t mind the joining but I know people were really upset about it. I do kind of wish that they would have developed those feeling between Kieran and Poppy a little earlier on but otherwise it didn’t really surprise me that it turned out this way! I still think Poppy and Cas are the main romantic couple and nothing is going to break that (I hope haha).
I read some of the spoilers , in it the writer said that “ the third Childs who were given to the rite were used to fed kolis , like there blood was used to fed kolis nd make him strong” and about this my theory is that in war of two queens reaver actually said that the third children hav eather in them so maybe it worked to strengthen kolis
I was so worried you were going to hate on the joining like other people have been lol. I do think it may become a throuple situation and I’m totally okay with it. Even in that last scene when they were all sleeping together in the tent, Poppy was laying there and saying how close they were and how different and intimate it was after the joining and that she was okay with that. I think it’s hard for people to get out of the monogamous mindset. But if all members involved consent to the dynamic then let them be happy. I think the bond that formed between Poppy and Kieran is just adorable. And I think a lot of people forget that while Casteel was in captivity he literally said the thing that makes him feel better is knowing that Kieran is there for Poppy when he can’t be. Obviously the love between Kieran and Poppy will not be the same between Casteel and Poppy, but I think we should give this little throuple a chance. Until Kieran finds someone else (which I hope he does because that man deserves it) .
I would have been 100% on board w/ it being a throuple relationship if that had been set up from the beginning - which I guess you could argue since Kieren has always been close to both Cas and Poppy since FBAA. Personally, I really fell hard for Cas and Poppy’s romance and want to see it play out w/ just the two of them but if it evolves into a throuple romance and they are all happy than that’s what’s most important. Honestly, whatever JLA wants to do w/ her characters I will support and read!! ♥️
@@HonestFiction I can totally see where you’re coming from! I do think that if JLA does continue with this throuple dynamic, I believe she will still give us our precious Casteel and Poppy moments. I don’t think Kieran will insert himself all the time. But I guess we will see. I’m so excited for the next book regardless.
I 100% on board with the throuple. To me, Kieran has some kind of feeling towards Poppy, besides friendship. They been through a lot together and I believe he has some type of special love towards her. 😊
Just wanted to say keep up the great work, I love this channel. Found your videos after suffering an ACOTAR hangover post Silver Flames last spring and have found your picks frequently work for me. This book was a big miss for me because of the pacing and plot dynamic - like you said, it's hard to be upset about the Joining when it was foreshadowed for so long. Still excited about the sequel to A Shadow in the Ember!
I feel like the two biggest issues was the pacing in the book and how I felt like the author needed to dive deeper. The beginning was slow and then the last 300 pages were so rushed. Also Poppy needs some development as a character. Some of the decisions she was making at the beginning of the story didn't make sense. Like she needs someone to teach her like how to grow her powers or how war works. So many people were killed at the beginning of the story for decisions she made that could have been avoided. It was almost there but wasn't. If your going to give a POV from Casteel, like really make his side interesting. If your going to make Poppy and Kierans relationship change, go there, develop it more. For me it was like out of the blue she was attracted to him. I really had a hard time understanding what he was thinking with Poopy. If your going to do the Joining, really go there. Hopefully the next books will be better.
I just finished this book last night! I LOVED IT!! This whole series is just really getting into me! Also, I’m team thruple. I love poly relationships, and I hope it really goes that way.
I typically like poly/multiple relationships but I’m already obsessed with Casteel/Poppy’s romance and want that to be endgame - but if they end up being a thruple it’s not going to stop me from finishing/enjoying the series!
I agree, I am pro-joining and I am a pretty conservative relationship type of person, lol. It totally made sense to me, and I didn't think it was emotional cheating at all when Poppy fed on Kieran because it was something that Cas, Poppy, and Kieran have all talked about and they talked about it when they freed Cas. Cheating involves hiding things from your partner in my opinion. My only issue with the story as it continues is that I am getting lost with all the characters and the story. The revelations keep changing on who is what and what is going on and who's the son or daughter or who and what god level they are. It made reading book 4 a real drag. But I am willing to stick with it to see if 5 and 6 are easier to grasp.
I thought there was a wee bit of foreshadowing with Kieran possssssibly developing more feeling towards poppy when he put up his walls towards the end when casteel brought up something sexual... Can't remember exactly where it was because I DEVOURED the book too quickly. Lol. Around the end. Maybe I read into it too much? Could be an interesting plot where he battles this internal thing and I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM HIS HEAD. Lol. Although I think I love interest will save him.
Also Cas. I LOVED him... But he just came across as an over-sexualised brute in this. He literally could not stop touching her. I was getting claustrophobic on her behalf!
Agg! Man, did I love this video! Now that you mentioned it, we don’t had anyyy mention to Isbeth & Malec’s son, and Tawny’s story ended being a bit meh?. 100% agree with Cas being a bit flat! And also a +1 to the team of being OK with the Joining!🙋🏻♀️
Team joining. I don’t see them as a throuple at all. Like his relationship with cas and poppy was always going to be different than just a plain friend he was BONDED to both, been through so much with both, they formed unbreakable trusts between each other. I knew from the second they mentioned the joining the first time that there was gonna be a threesome😂 but poopy will never romantically love him nor will he love her like that, he’s gonna get his own girl then they’ll do the joining again😂 and he’s seen her naked before and always been so respectful and told her so many times about how sexually open the wolven are and literally helped them have sex one time lol! All their bonding in this book was just adorable to me in a friend way bc with cas being gone, he was the ONLY one who could’ve comforted and helped her in the necessary ways he did bc it’s his duty to cas to be there for her!
I guess the slow paced is caused we don't have enough of Casteel 😂. I miss him at the beginning. After Poppy save him and all is when the story just began. (me gusto xD
Didn’t like this book, but I came to hear ur thoughts regarding the predictions after finishing. I love that you legitimized the major issues ppl who hated it had (like the story being slow, the flatness of Casteel, etc) even tho you love the series. Please keep doing what you’re doing, ur one of my top fave booktubers 🪷
Ahhh thank you so much!!! 💕 I’m always nervous to put out single book reviews (especially when the book is being heavily discussed) so it’s REALLY awesome to hear that you enjoyed my review!!! Thanks again for watching & supporting my channel!
This book became bland for me....the prblm was not even with the kieran thing ....literally my man CAS was just plain... his character was written so bad😭 The way Poppy has powers but can't use them?? Why just why??can't she just direct it at one person? It was all so damn annoying.
Enjoyed your review! The first half of the book felt pretty slow for me, but the second half was much better. I was good with the Joining - we saw it foreshadowed plenty so no surprise. I enjoy this genre for the escape to a different world and part of the fun is not knowing where the author will take the story.
I finished it yesterday and found it okay overall. You're right about the Joining I knew it was going to happen since volume 2 (I didn't care as I personally had no interest in it) so it wasn't a surprise either. But in terms of the love story and then the one with Kieran, it was unfortunately weaker for me in this volume because I didn't like the development. I was much more invested in the supporting characters like Reaver and Malik (Casteel's brother).
I hate the series so much that I vowed to quit after book 3 but I'm watching anyway because I'm still a little bit curious where this train wreck is heading lol.
after watching, I'm not the least bit surprised there are more pacing issues. Book 1 was so good and when she made the choice to turn this series from 3 books into 6 the whole thing went to hell for me. Anyways, good video thanks for saving hours of my life for not having to read this & I'm definitely subscribing. 😊
I think I have an answer for you on this. It seems like based on the prophecy, someone of the primal blood line needed to be sacrificed in order to wake up Kolis.
I didn't like to joining no matter what everyone says because it wasn't just supported friendship between Kieran and Poppy there was tension there were feelings more than friendship ok and more than the bonded wolwen and it just didn't feel right ok and the joining I really like ir and enjoyed the first part of it which I mean the biting and feeding and touching and after that was so cringe that I didn't even want to read it it was vouge and confusing like who's touching who who is doing what. what is happening I didn't like that I wanted to go all out I wanted to be dirty I wanted to be sexy I wanted to be casual but none of that happened and there you go in made me pissed ok if the joining was going to happen it should be happen completely but it didn't it involved feelings shared with his best friend like they were heartmates ok haertmates don't share and if they do the joininng woulf just br weird. not a fan but I like the book and over all not the joining part though
Who is your favorite character from AWOTQ? 👑
Rever, of course❤️
I agree - Reaver was my favourite too!
I can't wait for the next book.
I haven't heard anything about the next acotar book though I can't wait for that too lol
Not a “who” but “what.” The quotation mark (“) at the end of the story was mine because it was a dumpster fire. I gave it 2 stars for all the things u said at the end. I was excited about this one, and 250 pages in I had to stop. Just picked it back up and finished it this week, but it was a struggle.
I frikken love the joining! These are not humans. Poppy is a Primal god. Cas is an elemental Atlantian and Kieran is a wolven who has been bonded with Cas for almost 2 centuries! When their physical bond broke kieran was then notam bonded with Poppy. All of this is natural. They all love each other and want to keep each other safe and not live without each other. It's a different type of love between poppy and Cas. I do not see it as an issue whatsoever and will only bring them closer as a bonded immortal family. Get a grip people.
100% agree!!!
I'm team joining too. JLA can take it either way. She can make it throuple romance or keep their dynamic the same as the end of this book. But I'll be happy either way coz PoppyCas endgame won't change
Hearing your thoughts about the Joining and Cas/Poppy/Kieran relationship dynamic helped me feel validated about my thoughts!! Reading the 1 star reviews on goodreads were pretty discouraging and scary ngl. It's so interesting to see how strongly people feel towards this book and JLA
Right!!! I just now looked at the Goodreads reviews and they are intense. I have nothing against people who didn’t enjoy the book and rated it low but some of the reviews are extremely harsh towards JLA 😳
Are you going to do a recap
Of all the books before the new one drops?
Not emotional cheating because Cas was relived that his wolven and his wife had one another to support each other
Completely agree!!!
I personally didn’t mind the joining but I know people were really upset about it. I do kind of wish that they would have developed those feeling between Kieran and Poppy a little earlier on but otherwise it didn’t really surprise me that it turned out this way! I still think Poppy and Cas are the main romantic couple and nothing is going to break that (I hope haha).
Completely agree!!
I agree. A lot of people gave the book one star because of what you stated, not because the joining happened. It was more than that.
I read some of the spoilers , in it the writer said that
“ the third Childs who were given to the rite were used to fed kolis , like there blood was used to fed kolis nd make him strong” and about this my theory is that in war of two queens reaver actually said that the third children hav eather in them so maybe it worked to strengthen kolis
I was so worried you were going to hate on the joining like other people have been lol. I do think it may become a throuple situation and I’m totally okay with it. Even in that last scene when they were all sleeping together in the tent, Poppy was laying there and saying how close they were and how different and intimate it was after the joining and that she was okay with that. I think it’s hard for people to get out of the monogamous mindset. But if all members involved consent to the dynamic then let them be happy. I think the bond that formed between Poppy and Kieran is just adorable. And I think a lot of people forget that while Casteel was in captivity he literally said the thing that makes him feel better is knowing that Kieran is there for Poppy when he can’t be. Obviously the love between Kieran and Poppy will not be the same between Casteel and Poppy, but I think we should give this little throuple a chance. Until Kieran finds someone else (which I hope he does because that man deserves it) .
I would have been 100% on board w/ it being a throuple relationship if that had been set up from the beginning - which I guess you could argue since Kieren has always been close to both Cas and Poppy since FBAA. Personally, I really fell hard for Cas and Poppy’s romance and want to see it play out w/ just the two of them but if it evolves into a throuple romance and they are all happy than that’s what’s most important. Honestly, whatever JLA wants to do w/ her characters I will support and read!! ♥️
@@HonestFiction I can totally see where you’re coming from! I do think that if JLA does continue with this throuple dynamic, I believe she will still give us our precious Casteel and Poppy moments. I don’t think Kieran will insert himself all the time. But I guess we will see. I’m so excited for the next book regardless.
I 100% on board with the throuple. To me, Kieran has some kind of feeling towards Poppy, besides friendship. They been through a lot together and I believe he has some type of special love towards her. 😊
Just wanted to say keep up the great work, I love this channel. Found your videos after suffering an ACOTAR hangover post Silver Flames last spring and have found your picks frequently work for me. This book was a big miss for me because of the pacing and plot dynamic - like you said, it's hard to be upset about the Joining when it was foreshadowed for so long. Still excited about the sequel to A Shadow in the Ember!
I feel like the two biggest issues was the pacing in the book and how I felt like the author needed to dive deeper. The beginning was slow and then the last 300 pages were so rushed. Also Poppy needs some development as a character. Some of the decisions she was making at the beginning of the story didn't make sense. Like she needs someone to teach her like how to grow her powers or how war works. So many people were killed at the beginning of the story for decisions she made that could have been avoided. It was almost there but wasn't. If your going to give a POV from Casteel, like really make his side interesting. If your going to make Poppy and Kierans relationship change, go there, develop it more. For me it was like out of the blue she was attracted to him. I really had a hard time understanding what he was thinking with Poopy. If your going to do the Joining, really go there. Hopefully the next books will be better.
My fav in this was Reaver-butt 😂😂
🤣
Lol I been calling them the germs
I just finished this book last night! I LOVED IT!! This whole series is just really getting into me! Also, I’m team thruple. I love poly relationships, and I hope it really goes that way.
I typically like poly/multiple relationships but I’m already obsessed with Casteel/Poppy’s romance and want that to be endgame - but if they end up being a thruple it’s not going to stop me from finishing/enjoying the series!
Yay!!! Someone else who is team Throuple ❤️ I think their relationship is adorable and that’s the hill I’m willing to die on.
@@daymariah Team thurple! There’s dozens of us! Lol
But who sang that song pick a pretty poppy watch it bleed I didn't see who sang that song
I agree, I am pro-joining and I am a pretty conservative relationship type of person, lol. It totally made sense to me, and I didn't think it was emotional cheating at all when Poppy fed on Kieran because it was something that Cas, Poppy, and Kieran have all talked about and they talked about it when they freed Cas. Cheating involves hiding things from your partner in my opinion. My only issue with the story as it continues is that I am getting lost with all the characters and the story. The revelations keep changing on who is what and what is going on and who's the son or daughter or who and what god level they are. It made reading book 4 a real drag. But I am willing to stick with it to see if 5 and 6 are easier to grasp.
I thought there was a wee bit of foreshadowing with Kieran possssssibly developing more feeling towards poppy when he put up his walls towards the end when casteel brought up something sexual... Can't remember exactly where it was because I DEVOURED the book too quickly. Lol. Around the end. Maybe I read into it too much? Could be an interesting plot where he battles this internal thing and I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM HIS HEAD. Lol. Although I think I love interest will save him.
Also Cas. I LOVED him... But he just came across as an over-sexualised brute in this. He literally could not stop touching her. I was getting claustrophobic on her behalf!
Great review! I love to hear your thoughts!
Agg! Man, did I love this video! Now that you mentioned it, we don’t had anyyy mention to Isbeth & Malec’s son, and Tawny’s story ended being a bit meh?. 100% agree with Cas being a bit flat! And also a +1 to the team of being OK with the Joining!🙋🏻♀️
Haha YASSS!!! 🙌🏼
I don’t see them as a throuple like some are saying. It clearly states that poppy loves Kieran but not the same way she loves Cas and vise versa.
Team joining. I don’t see them as a throuple at all. Like his relationship with cas and poppy was always going to be different than just a plain friend he was BONDED to both, been through so much with both, they formed unbreakable trusts between each other. I knew from the second they mentioned the joining the first time that there was gonna be a threesome😂 but poopy will never romantically love him nor will he love her like that, he’s gonna get his own girl then they’ll do the joining again😂 and he’s seen her naked before and always been so respectful and told her so many times about how sexually open the wolven are and literally helped them have sex one time lol! All their bonding in this book was just adorable to me in a friend way bc with cas being gone, he was the ONLY one who could’ve comforted and helped her in the necessary ways he did bc it’s his duty to cas to be there for her!
100% agree with everything you said in this comment!!! 🙌🏼
Why did Isbeth want to wake Kolis? I completely missed that in the book.
I guess the slow paced is caused we don't have enough of Casteel 😂. I miss him at the beginning. After Poppy save him and all is when the story just began. (me gusto xD
Didn’t like this book, but I came to hear ur thoughts regarding the predictions after finishing. I love that you legitimized the major issues ppl who hated it had (like the story being slow, the flatness of Casteel, etc) even tho you love the series. Please keep doing what you’re doing, ur one of my top fave booktubers 🪷
Ahhh thank you so much!!! 💕
I’m always nervous to put out single book reviews (especially when the book is being heavily discussed) so it’s REALLY awesome to hear that you enjoyed my review!!! Thanks again for watching & supporting my channel!
This book became bland for me....the prblm was not even with the kieran thing ....literally my man CAS was just plain... his character was written so bad😭
The way Poppy has powers but can't use them?? Why just why??can't she just direct it at one person? It was all so damn annoying.
Ugh completely agree about Cas - which is a shame since we got his POV in this book - I was expecting a lot lot more from him.
I just finished this war of two queens at 3am this morning OMG talk about emotional rollercoaster I cried laughed and omg was crazy
Enjoyed your review! The first half of the book felt pretty slow for me, but the second half was much better. I was good with the Joining - we saw it foreshadowed plenty so no surprise. I enjoy this genre for the escape to a different world and part of the fun is not knowing where the author will take the story.
I finished it yesterday and found it okay overall. You're right about the Joining I knew it was going to happen since volume 2 (I didn't care as I personally had no interest in it) so it wasn't a surprise either. But in terms of the love story and then the one with Kieran, it was unfortunately weaker for me in this volume because I didn't like the development. I was much more invested in the supporting characters like Reaver and Malik (Casteel's brother).
Reaver/Kieran’s banter was def one of my favorite parts of TWOTQ!! 😂
I hate the series so much that I vowed to quit after book 3 but I'm watching anyway because I'm still a little bit curious where this train wreck is heading lol.
after watching, I'm not the least bit surprised there are more pacing issues. Book 1 was so good and when she made the choice to turn this series from 3 books into 6 the whole thing went to hell for me. Anyways, good video thanks for saving hours of my life for not having to read this & I'm definitely subscribing. 😊
Ahh I had no idea JLA planned on making it a 3 book series originally - that explains a lot 😖! Thanks for watching & subscribing!! 💕
This comment is so much relatable to Riverdale also😂
Do you have a shadow in the ember review??
No poppy in the other book asked vonettta for herbs for birth control
Plus the joining Cas was happy for that joining
Would love some more insight on understanding the whole Malec sacrifice to wake up Kolis thing
So would I!!! Haha I’m still so confused by that part since it seems like that sacrifice wasn’t actually necessary?
I think I have an answer for you on this. It seems like based on the prophecy, someone of the primal blood line needed to be sacrificed in order to wake up Kolis.
Rever is hilarious
So now we have to wait for the next book because the war isn't finished
I loved this whole series so far
Milli disguised herselfnwith makeup and hair dye
I didn't like to joining no matter what everyone says because it wasn't just supported friendship between Kieran and Poppy there was tension there were feelings more than friendship ok and more than the bonded wolwen and it just didn't feel right ok and the joining I really like ir and enjoyed the first part of it which I mean the biting and feeding and touching and after that was so cringe that I didn't even want to read it it was vouge and confusing like who's touching who who is doing what. what is happening I didn't like that I wanted to go all out I wanted to be dirty I wanted to be sexy I wanted to be casual but none of that happened and there you go in made me pissed ok if the joining was going to happen it should be happen completely but it didn't it involved feelings shared with his best friend like they were heartmates ok haertmates don't share and if they do the joininng woulf just br weird. not a fan but I like the book and over all not the joining part though
Great review! I love to hear your thoughts!