★★★★☆
Book: Darkened Dawn (Way of Wings, #2) by E.J. Mellow
What I really liked about this one (and the first book too if I’m honest) was the scale. It felt bigger, darker, and more emotionally complicated than a simple “will they or won’t they” fantasy romance. The forbidden bond between Tanwen and Zolya has real consequences, which made the romance feel tied to the fate of the world instead of just floating around in its own pretty little angst bubble.
It is a 4-star read for me because I really enjoyed the world, the stakes, and the emotional tension, but there were a few moments where I wanted the story to breathe a little more. There is a lot happening: rebellion, politics, divine reckoning, identity, love, loyalty, family, betrayal. All delicious ingredients, but some of them needed more time to cook.
What worked for me:
– The forbidden romance had serious stakes, not just “our parents would be annoyed” energy.
– The world felt layered, with political tension, rebellion, and social divisions that gave the story more weight.
– The tone felt darker and more epic, which made this feel like a true conclusion instead of a soft little wrap-up with wings.
What didn’t fully work for me:
– There were moments where the pacing felt packed because so many conflicts were happening at once.
– I wanted a little more breathing room between the political drama, romantic tension, and world-ending chaos.
– Some of the bigger fantasy elements felt like they could have used more time on the page.
– As a conclusion, it had a lot to resolve, and I could feel the book working hard to land every piece.
Tropes and vibes:
Forbidden love
“Our love could ruin everything”
Star-crossed lovers
Gods meddling in mortal business
High-stakes fantasy romance
Who should read it:
Read this if you like fantasy romance with big stakes, forbidden bonds, political tension, and characters who are trying to save the world while also being emotionally inconvenient about each other. Darkened Dawn is dramatic, romantic, and full of “this could either heal the world or absolutely wreck it” energy. I had a really good time with it, even when I wanted it to slow down and let me emotionally process.