Vessel of Woven Night (Rowan Blood)

First off: I highly recommend this series. Give the first book a try to see if you like the taste. This is drama and secrets and lore that only gets deeper the further you go in! In Vessel of Woven Night we really get to see characters introduced in the previous volume flourish more even as poor Saffron wilts from the weight of *gestures vaguely, Everything going on in the beginning of the volume. In true Rowan blood series fason, everything goes absolutely off the rails in the second half even as everything comes together in a climax that will have you ripping at your floorboards. Awesome installment to the series; can't wait for the next one!

This book, the 4th in the rowan blood series, follows Saffron in his attempts to find the prince's sibling who was stolen. I the meantime, Saffron has to go through a lot more then just that. He does a bit of everything really. He finds out more about himself and the people surrounding him. He also never seems to catch a break. It does help a lot if you've been following the series in order since this book's events are consequences of the main character's decisions in the past 3 books. But trust me, you won't regret reading the other books before this one as it adds to the enjoyment of it. I think this book it's the perfect combination of sadness, tense scenes, fights, wholesome moments, and romance. Containing themes of violence and lots of action, its writing depicts those in a way that it's not uncomfortable for the reader (not too invasive, if that helps explain it.) The romance is not cheesy (saying it as an ace/aro person) but it is truly among the best romances that I've read. It makes me a bit sad and excited at the same time to know that now that I've read the 4th book I'll have to wait for the next one. But it's worth the wait because this book it's worth a re-read.

I will read no better book this year. This is the best one. There is a beautiful balance of emotions throughout this book for the reader. There is stress, hope, excitement, anticipation, surprise, tension, absolute satisfaction, hurt, and awe. There are scenes in this book described so masterly that you forget you’re reading; everything is just so clear in your mind that you’re right there in the book. What a little masterpiece this series is, and the ending! I am so pumped and ready to go. I cannot wait to read the next book. Kellen Graves is practically my hero, I love these books so much.

First of all, I’m SO glad I reread the series beforehand, because a lot was foreshadowed. Similarly, I think I won’t know book 4’s sequel’s true value till I read books 5, 6, and so on (where I’ll see how much was set up in this book). I’ve learned a lot, but I’m still in the dark about what’s coming up. In short, this feels like a transition sequel preparing me for greater heights. That means that the story didn’t feel *as* dramatic as other volumes (like the end of book 2), despite being the longest book yet. But there’s a high bar for dramatics in RB. I mean, you have Cylvan, who tries to be the most dramatic creature alive. And you have Saffron’s, who unintentionally won the most dramatic award despite trying not to! Their romance is my addiction. In this book, I was pulling my hair out at the relationship growing pains. The miscommunications, the secrets, and Cylvan being The Worst now and then (again) all made me SO MAD. Cylvan, in all his princely goodness, is best when he’s unleashed and ride-or-die for Saffron. Or when he’s groveling beautifully at his feet. Until book 5 drops, I am haunting Cylvan’s dreams and hitting him with a shoe. I need him on his A-game for what’s coming up. Luckily the other characters in the books are SUPERSTARS. (Not you, Ryder.) Readers will absolutely LOVE some of these new faces, and fall deeper in love with Saffron’s closest (willing and unwilling) companions. Like you WILL ADORE THEM TO DEATH, OMG. Plot-wise, there were…

I cannot even begin to describe how beautiful, poignant, tragic, romantic, fantastical, or page turning this series is. The characters are heartfelt, nuanced, and real. You’ll find yourself falling in love (and hate) with all of them. All I can say is read this series, read this book, and await the next one with bated breath. Out of 5 stars, I give it a 10.