I requested this because of the screamingly bizarre Kirkus review for it. It didn't seem to be as sexy as the review indicated, but the story was not particularly original and the prose was often so purple it hurt. People's mouths crashed together a lot.

Warriors of Wing and Flame was a good conclusion to this duology!

It picks up exactly where book ones cliffhanger ended and continues to have duel POV, which I love!
I did find it a little more difficult this time around to differentiate between the sisters, Zuhra and Inara and that made things kind of confusing at times for me.
I loved the dynamic between all of the characters in this one and that a lot of the characters we were introduced to in book one were expanded on in this one. The overall tone is heavier as the characters experience grief over the characters we lost.

One thing I had a hard time with in this novel was that it seemed to drag out a bit, so I found myself losing interest and moving on to something else for a day or two. Overall, this book gets 3 stars from me!

This book made me cry. Friends, I do not cry while reading books. This will be the third book to ever make me cry. It was such a great ending to the Sisters of Shadow and Light duology!

The romances, while a but cheesy, were very sweet. The sister relationship that I loved in book one only got better. The action was exciting. Basically, it's everything I hoped for. Sara B. Larson has a gift for storytelling, and I'm excited to see what she comes up with next!

Phew. I’ve been waiting for this book! I finally read it, and here we go... The finale.


The sequel picks up much where the cliffhanger leaves off in the first book. I noticed this time around it was harder for me to distinguish between the sisters, Zuhra and Inara. This made for confusing reading at times, and I’d have to break to turn back a few pages to remind myself who it was. Maybe it’s because Inara grew so much that she resembled her older sister. Nevertheless, it was confuddling at times.

Plus side, the numerous side characters that were introduced in the first book are fleshed out more in the sequel and this made me happy. There is a point in the book with Loukas that I squealed over and that’s all I’m saying.

Plot wise, it was enjoyable but it really felt as though it were treading water until the end. The conclusion surprised me, I wasn’t sure if that was truly it or a trick, but it was the final battle and it felt a little lackluster to me. All the steam building up just to let out a little toot...

All in all, I enjoyed it. A solid 3. But for a finale it left me wanting a little more.

It was just fantastic to read this book! I absolutely loved the first one, and now with this one, well, I was just so excited, I wanted to see how things would wrap up. And it was just a really fantastic read, so easy, and so great to read!

Picking up immediately after things finished, there's a lot going on. There's dealing with loss, of both their Grandfather and of Inara's abilities. And man, seeing Inara's grief was hard to read, because she lost something very vital.

We got to see more of this world in this book, which was really interesting. We learned more about these characters as well, like what green eyes mean, which was a revelation that caused a few tense moments that were really great to read!

Man, I really enjoyed how it wrapped up! I wouldn't have expected it, and it was just so fitting! We didn't get through without casualties, and they hurt, but that just mean that it was well written. And that last chapter, yeah, it felt so right to have it end that way! It was just perfect!

Loved reading this book so much, it was an awesome second half to this duology!

Oh, my heart! Warriors of Wing and Flame picks up where Sisters of Shadow and Light left off, and I loved every action-packed second of it! Barloc escaped, and Zuhra and Inara must work together with friends and family to defeat him before he destroys all that they hold dear.

Sara B. Larson creates a magical world with cool powers and fantastic magical beings. Her writing is beautiful and immersive, easily pulling the reader into a world with gryphons, magic portals, murderous monsters, and more. Larson’s skillful use of imagery and sensory language creates a rich and vivid world and fantastically developed characters.

The story switches perspectives between Zuhra and Inara, which gives the reader a look at the thoughts, feelings, and experiences of each sister. It is fascinating to see these young women experience the world around them, especially considering how sheltered their lives have been. Both sisters grow from naive, frightened girls into assured and brave women.

The sisterly bond is at the forefront of the novel, and it is one of my favorite relationships in the duology. Zuhra and Inara have a beautiful relationship, and it is clear that they love each other very much. Zuhra and Inara love each other unconditionally, and this love is their main motivation throughout the story. They understand each other well, and they remain a wonderful support for each other. I like how the sisters bring out the best in each other, and that, even though they are very different, they are also quite similar. They are intelligent, loyal, adaptable, and fierce young women who value family and friendship and find pleasure in helping and developing relationships with others.

The book also explores several other relationships in the story, from a new, budding romance to the rekindling of a long-lost love to life-long friendships. I liked this aspect of the story, as it highlighted the impact that different types of love have on a person’s life. Zuhra and Inara’s confusing relationship with their parents, Raidyn’s friendships, and more are exceptionally written.

Of course, I always love the romance, and this story has many to root for. Inara, her parents, her grandparents, and others deal with the ups and downs of romance. I loved Zuhra’s budding romance with Raidyn. They have a deep bond, and it is lovely to see their relationship grow stronger.

A beautifully written story with amazing world-building, fascinating characters, and strong messages about love, prejudice, and the bonds of family, Warriors of Wing and Flame is a poignant and powerful YA fantasy. Thanks so much to Netgalley and Tor Teen for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Warriors of Wing and Flame really took this duology to the next level. I felt pretty neutral towards book one, because I found the actions of the POV characters to be incredibly frustrating. Now that I have the bigger picture, I can see where that was essential to the overall plot as well as their individual growth as characters. Zuhra and Inara really come into their own in this book. The world they they knew was shattered at the beginning of book one; but as they picked up the pieces, they found their true selves without sacrificing their beliefs. I LOVE that Larson focuses heavily on the bonds of sisterly love versus simply romantic. It was a very satisfying conclusion, yet I find myself wanting MORE stories set in this world.

Warriors of Wing and Flame was a fantastic conclusion to the Sisters of Shadow and Light duology.

This book was filled with more danger, more action and more romance. It had a slow start but once things started moving I couldn’t put it down. You get to know more about the Paladin characters we were introduced to in the first book and the powers they possess. There is a lot of self discovery for the sisters and I absolutely adore how much they care and are willing to do for one another.

In Sisters of Shadow and Light I loved Zuhra’s character and didn’t feel as much of a connection with Inara. This sequel really developed Inara’s character and I found myself looking forward to her perspective more as the story unfolded. I actually loved her romantic story arch more than Zuhra’s. Beyond the slow start I really enjoyed this book!

I really loved this duology from Sara B Larson! This second book, Warriors of Wings and Flame, was fast paced and constantly kept me on the edge of my seat! This book focused on Inara as well as Zura, which was nice to get both perspectives. I love their relationship as sisters and how they would do anything to help one another! Sara did a great job transforming Zura and Inara from naive and innocent young girls into strong young women who can take on anything! Even though I honestly didn’t want this book to end after starting to really love these characters, the ending was definitely satisfying! I would def recommend this book! (Read Sisters of Shadow and Light first though) 😉

Thank you #NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book!

I absolutely fell in love with Sara’s writing and binge read her entire Defy saga after I read the first of this series. This book was no different and I was invested and interested from the first page. I think that the way Sara portrays her characters and the story as a whole is unique and you just can’t seem to put it down. Her descriptive nature paired with a strong plot line make this book absolutely amazing to read and I highly recommend all of her other books as well!

This beautiful book by Sara B. Larson is the sequel to Sisters of Shadow and Light, which was one of my FAVORITE reads last year! The relationship between the sisters, and the unexpected twists and turns of book one stuck with my long after I read it, and I couldn't wait to read book 2!!! I'm so thrilled that NetGalley and Tor Teen gave me the opportunity to read a free advanced e-copy of Warriors of Wing and Flame.

This book was AMAZING! It started out slow, as pretty much all sequels do, because the author has to try to work in reminders for the reader of all the important things they may have forgotten from the previous book. (Side note, I wish sequels would just start putting a "previously on" section at the front, quickly reminding you of everything you need to know, so you can jump right into the story after you read it...or you could skip it, if you're binging a series and don't need to be reminded.)

When we first see the sisters in this book, both of them are grieving and traumatized and I love the way Sara lets us see that, and be with them as they deal with it, rather than quickly brushing it away. Once the action really began, I couldn't put the book down. I loved where the story took us, from developments in relationships, to personal character arcs for the sisters. Inara's story in book 2 was especially poignant to me. This book had its share of both joy and heartbreak...but there was a thread of hope, no matter how dark the sisters' situations became.

Sara concluded the series beautifully, and I felt very satisfied. It definitely earns a spot on my favorites shelf. 5 stars.

I would recommend this duology to fans of Strange the Dreamer, The Girl of Fire and Thorns, and Sisters of Sword and Song. And I'll definitely be going back and picking up Sara's previous books, now!

{I will be sharing this review on Goodreads and retail sites, I will also share it on my IG in a couple days.}

This book was amazing! I just spent most of yesterday and last night reading it because I couldn’t put it down. More detailed review to come!

Initial Thoughts

I had been waiting to get my hands on an ARC of this book since I finished SOSAL. I sent an email to Tor Teen in February and they fulfilled my wish in May. Please note, it’s July right now and I know I will be reading this book again in October when it comes out.

Some Things I Liked

The romances. SOSAL focused on Zuhra and Raiden and I loved that WOWAF focused more on Inara.
Rich world building. I loved the worlds Sara B. Larson created in the Visempirum and the human world. I thought the impact the Paladins had on the human world was really well explained and I thought there was a mindfulness in the way both groups impacted the other.
All the feelings. This book took me through a full spectrum of emotions. For a single book, it had a lot of action and so many things happened in a short period of time. I laughed, I cried, and everything in between.
Tying up of loose ends. I liked that everything was neatly tied up at the end of this series.

Series Value

As mentioned above, I liked that everything was neatly tied up but I still think there is plenty of spin-off / sequel value here. I’d love to see more about these characters and the world of the Paladins.

Final Thoughts

I just loved this book. Despite being an October 2020 release and numerous other obligations, I read it right away. Thank you so much to Tor Teen and Sara B. Larson for providing a copy – I loved this series so much.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Recommendations for Further Reading

Defy by Sara B. Larson – if you like her writing, do yourself a favor and check out her other books.
Caraval by Stephanie Garber – if you liked the sisters element and the world building of this story, try the Caraval series by Stephanie Garber.
Furyborn by Claire Legrand – if you liked the dual POV and complexity of the world building and you’re looking for something a little more mature, give this series by Claire Legrand a try.

Warriors of Wing and Flame was a satisfying and sweet conclusion in the Sisters of Shadow and Light duology.

This installment picks up from where the first book left off. Barloc has escaped and now its up to our favorite sisters Zuhra and Inara with the help of their family and friends to stop him before he brings death and destruction to their home Vamala and the Visimperum.

Like the first book, this is told in 2 POV's, Zuhra and Inara. While Inara was under her roar mental state in the first book, we did not get much insight from her. Which is why I enjoyed her perspective very much this time around. Inara, like her sister, grew up within the walls of their citadel. Sheltered from the outside world and experiences. While not being out her roar state long, catching a villain makes one grow up real quick.

I also thought the tone of this book was a bit somber and emotional at times. Many of our characters are experiencing grief and loss and we do lose some characters. However, I loved the dynamics between all of the characters and the support they provided each other. Loss is never easy and I felt the author did a good job not rushing our characters to shrug it off and be okay. Speaking of dynamics, the romance definitely was much more prevalent in this one, with sweet, passionate kisses and angst. Raidyn and Loukas SWOON!

But, what really stole the spotlight for me were the gryphons. They were amazing! I haven't read many books where the magical creatures have an active role. I loved learning more about them and the bond between gryphons and their rider is something special. I definitely could feel my inner thighs burning and the wind whipping at my face hahaha.

From the start to the very end, the journey was an adventurous one with twists, romance, gryphons and a sister duo you'll root for. At times it did drag but overall this was a good conclusion. I don't think the world building or magic is complex, which makes it a perfect choice if you are looking for a light fantasy read where at the heart of the story is the love of two sisters, and nothing can separate them.

Thank you Tor Teen, the author and Netgalley for the E-Arc in exchange for a review.

Sara B. Larson is one of my favorite authors. I absolutely loved the Defy series. Warriors of Wing and Flame was a great read, but not quite up to my expectations. The action and flying scenes were fun to read, but the romance left a little to be desired. The dual points of view between Zuhra and Inara provided an interesting look into the family and the relationship between the sisters. In fact, I really enjoyed all of the family relationships, especially with their grandmother.

A satisfying end to my new favorite duology!

I want to start off by saying that Zuhra and especially Inara had excellent character arcs! As much as I loved the first book, I had the hardest time connecting with Inara, mostly because for most of the book, she has no personality, literally, and wasn’t present but I knew that was essential for the plot. However, after reading and finishing Warriors of Wing and Flame, I just LOVE both of them so much! I also found an extreme love for Loukas which was surprising to me since I didn’t care for him much in Sisters of Shadow and Light but we really were able to understand and appreciate him better by the end of this story!

The last 30% of the book kept just giving me chills and had me with tears in my eyes and that’s always a sure sign for me that I’m loving a book but also the fact that I couldn’t put it down and was devouring it. I was determined to finish the last part of the book in one sitting and I easily accomplished that, thanks to the amazing buildup to the end!

This sequel was a bit wordy at times and took a little to get the ball rolling in the beginning but it’s well worth it and is an amazing finale to this world full of Gryphons, love, magic and mostly importantly, family!

This much anticipated sequel to Sisters of Shadow and Light was absolutely everything I had been waiting for!
This book had the perfect balance of romance, action, and tension! I lived this!
Thank you so much to NetGalley for this e-arc!

Hold on tight because this story is one wild and exciting gryphon ride!

Larson masterfully spins tension, action, and romance together. There are plenty of steamy kisses that will make your toes curl! And surprises that will make your jaw drop. But the heart and beauty of the story is the love and devotion between the two sisters.

Spoilers for book 1 below:

Picking up where SISTERS OF SHADOW AND LIGHT ended, Zuhra and Inara are finally reunited but the cost is high. The deaths of others including their grandfather and almost Inara. Barloc has escaped with Inara’s power and continues to kill. He must be stopped at all costs. But the more he kills the more powerful he becomes. If they can find him, will they be strong enough to stop him?

This was a quick easy read for me. The plot was unique, characters were likeable, and the writing was great. I loved the sister bond between the two MC’s. All in all a great story.

I first came across Sisters of Shadow and Light (the first book) a few months ago and knew I wanted to read it, and after just literally finishing the book, I burst with so many different emotions that I feel I need to shout at the top of the roof tops, READ THIS BOOK NOW! It honestly feels like such a long time since I've felt this much passion towards a book.

Warriors of Wing and Flame definitly keeps that same tone for me. I love how this book is crafted and structured.
I really enjoyed the political intrigue, the twist and turns of the story, where you had to keep asking yourself, "is it them?" "could it really be them?" "but what about...?" it was great, and I loved every minute of it.
Action-filled, gripping and nerve-wracking, the story, the pace, the excitement do not let up. This was a fantastic push into avoiding the dreaded book two syndrome.

During the first book, I felt like it was lite-fantasy and after reading the sequel, I still feel that way slightly and. I wanted to see the second book go more in detail about this world and the magic. Since this is just a duology, I just have to accept the fact that this is all there will be. Otherwise, this was a great book.