Title: Sisters of Shadow and Light (Sisters of Shadow and Light #1)

Author: Sara B. Larson

Pub. Date: November 5, 2019

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

“The night my sister was born, the stars died and were reborn in her eyes…”.

For fifteen years they have lived, trapped in the citadel, with little contact from the outside world…until the day a stranger passes through the hedge, and everything changes. 

This will be a spoiler free review.

I want to start this review off by saying that I’m thoroughly kicking myself for not having read this sooner. Oh my gosh this book was so good! I was hooked from the very beginning and kept turning the page. I read it in a handful of hours because I couldn’t put it down. Pretty sure I started it at 11PM and finished it at 4AM – yes, I’ll probably regret staying up all night to read it, but self-care. Sometimes you just have to stay up until you finish a book, because waiting to finish it just isn’t an option.

I will also say that I’m struggling a bit to take my thoughts and put them into words because I just loved this book so much. It’s one of those reviews that is proving difficult to write because all I want to do is shove this book into your hands, and say “Here, read. It’s so good and I loved it.” But that would make for a very short review, so I’m going to attempt to put some of my thoughts into words that aren’t just me screaming that you should read this book. You should though. Read it.

I’ve been a fan of Sara’s work since Defy and I’m so glad that this book was just as good. I really liked the pacing and the writing style. I loved the characters and the dynamics between them. What I liked most of all, is how realistic the characters are. They’re full of very real flaws, but that’s what makes them so good.  Zuhra and Inara’s relationship – their bond – is so strong and so perfect it has you rooting for both of them.

The world Sara created is so vivid and lush and so easily pictured. The run-down Citadel that Zuhra and Inara grow up in is so clear in my mind. Every location that they end up was described with such good detail it came to life.

Basically, the world building is * chef’s kiss * perfection. So easy to get lost in.

AND THE LOVE INTEREST. Y’all Raidyn might be my newest book boyfriend and omfg he’s my favorite kind. Ya need to meet him, so pick up this book and read.

Are you tired of me telling you to read this book yet?

No? Good, go read it. If yes…oh well, go read it.

As for the other characters, I love Loukas and Halvor. Besides Raidyn and just about every other character, I think Loukas is going to be a favorite. He’s funny and charming and knows what buttons to push and when to get a response. His and Raidyn’s dynamic is again, * chef’s kiss * perfect and I can’t wait for him to become best friends with Zuhra because that’s so happening.

Ugh, I just loved this so much and I can feel my thoughts dwindling down to incoherent screaming so I’m going to end this review here. And for the final time in this review, I’m going to tell you – urge you – to go pick this book up and read it. It’s currently out, so you have no excuse!