Kitarni has spent her whole life being ostracized by the other witches in her village. Being a wielder of fire and blood magic her peers fear her and because of their fear, she has tried to keep her head down so as to not cause issues for her mother and younger sister Eszter. However, after Kitarni and a handsome stranger come across the ritually mutilated body of a fellow witch in Dark Woods, near her home. Kitarni knows that to keep her family safe she'll have stand up against those who have made her life hell if she wants to protect her family from the Cultists who are murdering witches looking for the one who's blood can resurrect the Dark Queen. Little does Kitarni know that it's her they are looking for and just to add insult to injury the very same day she discovers she's the reason her fellow witches are being murdered she also discovers that the handsome yet infuriating man she met in the Dark Wood is actually her betrothed and also the only guarantee of an army to protect her family. As Kitarni comes to terms with the devastating direction her life has taken she realizes that she will have to rely not only the very magic that kept her apart from her fellow witches but a man she'd rather set on fire than wed to keep the people she loves safe.
Given some of the comments about Gothic architecture taking root in Hungary at the time as well as some other things such as clothing descriptions, lack of indoor plumbing, etc I think it's safe to assume that this book takes place in about the 12th to 13th century Hungary. So why everyone talks like they are living in 21st century America is absolutely beyond me. And one of the main reasons this was knocked down to three stars. The use of the term Asshat is really when this started getting annoying. I could for the most part overlook some of it but c'mon asshat? Really? What makes this even more difficult to overlook is this is a story that could have been easily written in the 21st century. It's not gonna stretch my imagination too far to believe that there's a coven of witches hanging out in Hungary right now. But the use of 21st-century phrases in the 12th or 13th century, really anywhere doesn't have to be Hungary is a complete suspension of belief that ruins the story, it's like a splash of cold water.
Hodge does a good job of incorporating the romance between Kitarni and Dante in such a manner that it doesn't overshadow the main plot of the story. While I did find the sex scenes to be a bit awkward (if Kitarni "crashed" her lips against Dante's one more time I was going to lose it) they were incorporated at points in the story where it made sense. That being said there are only so many times I want to read how hot one of the characters is, especially when it seems every single sentence starts with or ends with something to the effect of "I was trying really hard not to notice how hot he was." No, you obviously weren't or I wouldn't be reading about it for what feels like the millionth time.
I did enjoy Kitarni's character for the most part. I found many of her insecurities to be relatable and I was pleasantly surprised that she wasn't a wishy-washy character. There are some moments of indecision but for the most part, Kitarni knows exactly who she is and what she wants. Dante was pretty great as well. He's ridiculously supportive of Kitarni and that's always a plus in a love interest.
Overall, while I felt the execution of the story was excellent with relatable and interesting characters this wasn't a book that really held my attention. There were just too many times when I didn't picture Kitarni in 12th or 13th century Hungary but in 21st century America. However, I do feel that for fans of Sarah J. Maas this book would be right up your alley!
As always I'd like to thank BookSirens for the eArc of this book, this review has been left voluntarily.
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