I’m truly unsure how to rate this book. I decided to DNF at first halfway through. Couldn’t let it go so I decided to finish it so I could form my opinion and thoughts in a less emotional state and with the whole narrative. So strap in this is gonna be a long one. I have so many thoughts so bare with me as I attempt to rope then together.

I LOVE Papa Caelum. He has different roles that he plays and he’s such a big scary guy, but his softness really got me. It has so many sweet and tender moments, much softer than most bad leads in other series.This one is definitely better than the first one. By a lot. But while it's better, it's still nowhere perfect. The Wild Hunt waits for none… not even the secrets waiting at the gates of Alfheimr. Estrella’s story continues. Author’s Note: This book is intended for readers who are 18 and older. It contains mature language, graphic violence, and explicit content with darker elements. This is book two in a series and ends in a cliffhanger. What Hunts Inside the Shadows by Harper L. Woods – eBook Details Estrella's character growth in this book is unfortunately nonexistent. She is still very annoying and bratty. I will say, her standing up for herself and not taking shit form anyone is very admirable though. Also, she changes her mind every chapter. One-minute she's going to accept Caldris as her mate, then the beginning of the next chapter she hates him again, then in the next one she has sex with him because "being with him is inevitable and should stop denying it" then the next chapter she is trying to kill him to get out of the mate bond. Don't get me wrong I enjoy when the FMC holds a grudge (within reason) but this just screamed "I'm a hot mess express" to me. Estrella and Caelum have a dynamic that’s equal parts emotionally passionate and strategic: they both know exactly how to get others to get the reaction they want, and they don’t hesitate to do so. It creates many great moments where they push the tension between them to the limit and have moments of emotional catharsis. They both have a lot of feelings for each other and those moments when they let it out are incredibly satisfying. They introduce us to Wild Hunt and I’m intrigued by them! There are also a few more of certain supporting characters that added a lot to the story and I look forward to seeing how they will play into the overall story in the upcoming books.

I mean seriously. As much as I enjoyed the characters, the sass, and some interesting build-up of the series. I AM BORED. I WANT ACTION TO HAPPEN NOW. I WANT THINGS TO HAPPEN NOW, NOT JUST FORESHADOWING OF THINGS TO COME. By the end, I came to the conclusion that this book felt like one big filler but I adored every single second of it and the emotional damage it caused. Though one amazing thing came out of all this by the end: Lord Byron (I listened to the audiobook I have no idea how to spell anyone's name) is NO MORE. The cliffhanger for this one is rivaling the cliffhangers from the Blood And Ash series! Something I thought I would never say 😭 All of the sudden, Estrella has these magical powers that exceed anyone else’s powers. She’s special and unique and they’re not sure what she is but she’s oh so extraordinary. The pacing is entirely too fast. For a high-fantasy where we have seemingly complex dynamics, the details are glossed over as the plot just continues to progress without pausing to explain anything.Beyond that bullshit there were references to some modern things that jarred me and lifted me right out of the setting. Caldris mentions the concept of baby trapping as if that’s a concept that exists in a supposedly medieval world. He says that something must have been “a bitter plant to swallow” cause you know no pills in this world. Admittedly that made me laugh. I just didn't really know who the villian was in this story. I didn't know what our end goal was for most of this story. Another reason why things felt so confused might have been because we were on a very, very long journey into the Fae world - which we had been inching toward in the previous book. So we never saw anywhere new. We actually made a round about circle to all the places in the previous book which was unbearably boring to me. The secondary characters also got exponentially more interesting and solid in the second half of the book. Imelda and Holt 😏 Fallon and Estrella’s friendship 🥹 The wolves are incredible. THE CLIFFHANGER WAS BANGIN. Things I thought I knew… I most certainly did not 🤯👀 If only we had the next book to read 🥲🥲🥲 Me personally? Hearing I have a mate? I would have been embarrassingly down for that but I'm a slut and also have very low morals. Caldris is whispered in the Nothrek wind. The legend we only speak of quietly in closed rooms for fear of provoking his wrath again. His intentions are a mystery, his desires impure, and he seeks to chain me to his side for eternity. With the Wild Hunt as his guardian, he shows us the place where it all began: the city of Mistfur and the rim where the Veil once shimmered in the wind.