If you just want smutty vampires and don't care about the other stuff, then you'll love this book. Isolde's need or want for Nalani's freedom is mentioned in almost every chapter by her. I know I am not comfortable with the idea enslaved island used a a plot devise to create an argument or conflict between Adrian and Isolde. I did read the first book and loved it, and it took me a while to notice the themes I wasn't a fan of. I am not the right person to talk in terms of Pacific Islanders, but me as a Caribbean it's a red flag. I tried to google Nalani to see if it was made up or not, the word is originally Hawaiian.
I don't think any of what turned me off is intentional, but they are unconsious biases we have. "They may not know I exist and I may not know their ways but I still belong to them, more than I ever belong to you." and somehow that whole interaction between them felt not a fantasy moment but a real life one. Which makes Adrian say "Can you even call them yours, they do no know who you are?" to which Isolde gets angry at him and replied. Getting back to the plot of the book, Adrian still thinks that freeing Nalani is not important but Isolde, as a POC and a descendant from Nalani, wants to free them. To be honest I'm done letting it slide that the idea of an island being independent and prosperous even in fantasy setting is unrealistic and we have to be saved or protected. Me being Puerto Rican, I don't usually like reading about and island that is enslaved or colonized cause "hey, it's my real fucking life xx". I think she mentioned or find out that the people from Nalani are slaves and possibly enslaved by her father or someone who is in close connections with Adrian or Adrian needs their support to "protect the kingdom. So in book 1 Isolde had mentioned her Mother was from an island called Nalani.
Now I'm gonna get to the part where I had to DNF the book. Plus this relationship is different and even though she has the memories she isn't her past self. I also do not like how their past relationship keeps being brought up because Isolde doesn't have all of her memories and he does. Like I remember in book 1 how he was supportive of her and her "unique" personality, and in this book he kind of fights her for being her. Adrian and her seem to be getting into arguments a lot, so it seemed to me. Isolde is deep within her grief after what happened with her father at the end of book 1. This book starts off like maybe a few days after the first book ends. A conversation happened between Adrian and Isolde, and I can not keep reading when this is a plot device that is being used over and over again. I'll start by saying that I wasn't going to continue this series but I got approved the audiobook arc for this book and decided to give it a chance.
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