"Keep me in your songs."

Why are Marie Lu's endings always so PAINFUL?!

I can't accept that this is how Winter and Sydney's story ends?! Why?!? Please, please, please surprise us with a third book.

I don't know what else there is to say?!

I love the gorgeous cover! Winter and Sydney are looking beyond glamorous gazing into each other's eyes with an intense sorrowful kind of longing. It is giving me so much FEELS. Feels that would sustain me for the rest of my days.

This was a fast-paced read. And it felt so short? Why did it feel so short?! I'm still in denial that it's over.

Icon and Inferno has me desperate for more.

I don't know if anyone would find this review helpful in any way. I apologize. But it's the middle of the holidays and this book hurt me in the best way and there are a million things going on in my head. I just know this book isn't even out yet and I already miss Winter and Sydney so impossibly much.

I will give up a good night's sleep ten thousand times for a third book. I'm not kidding.

4.5 ⭐️ 0🌶️ 13+
Spoiler free!
Thank you to NetGalley for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review! I loved book one and received an ARC of Stars and Smoke in February, and was so sad I’d have to wait so long for book two! And then I got Icon And Inferno early! I think that the plot was slightly more muddled on this book, that it would benefit from more sharp details and refinement (obv Ik it’s an arc) but still. I think I enjoyed book one more! I still definitely enjoyed this book but I think that the whole “my ex, your ex” plot was… fine? I never love all the ex drama but this seemed unnecessary. I think they either need more significance (mostly winter’s ex) or change it to friends. I did you enjoy the plot twist with Sydney’s ex at the end! That was unpredictable for me but maybe others might pick up on it. I think the presidential plot needed more. I love it and it was so incredibly interesting!!! I definitely don’t think this should be marketed as NA. Books that are NA would be Fourth Wing, ACOTAR, etc. There was only one fade to black scene. I have nothing against it at all and I don’t think spice would have added that much, however I have an issue that it is marketed as such. I think the series seems more like those middle grade books that have the same characters but they just go on different adventures? If you have read things like that when y’all were young? I would have preferred a cliffhanger more. That makes me want to keep reading so much, and I get attached to them more! I think that is truly where this book shines. I love all the characters (even if I don’t like them yk) because they are so interesting and the inter-character relationships, and that was where this book pulled out on top. That epilogue- MADE ME CRY, and THAT is the reason I will want the next book. You HAVE to market it through that and scenes that hit deep because that is what is making me come back. This book, although it has it’s definitely flaws, made and impact on me and that is real and rare that I say that. Everything with Niall made me cry, and I genuinely felt my own heart crack a little, esp the relationship with his daughter and Sydney. Obviously I have a lot more to criticize since I have two arcs, but overall I am definitely recommending this. While I hope changes are made before it’s release- I still will be buying a physical copy once again.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for accepting my request for an ACR of this book!
4/5
Loyalty to a secret, above all else. Above emotions, above human bonds, above love. Loyalty to duty, to making the world a safer place.
I have always loved Marie Lu’s books. This book brought me back into how much of a fan I was of her books. The action in this book was amazing. It was like I was watching a mission impossible. I loved Sidney and Winter. The twists and turns in this book kept me turning the page, never knowing what to expect. The mission itself was really fun to read. Marie Lu has done it again!

Okay seriously what stars aligned for me to receive an ARC of this?! I AM SHOOK

On another note, this is my first time reading a Marie Lu book and WHAT? HOW DID NO ONE TELL ME LU'S BOOKS ARE THIS GOOD AND ADDICTIVE?!

I went into the second book expecting mysterious, romantic and an all and all happy vibe but what the heck? Please, someone explain to me why I was sobbing in my bed at 4 in the morning? The first book had me crying too but I thought the crying was over after book one, but boy was I wrong.

This book continues from book 1 and shows our two MC’s going on another spy mission together. Like the first book, it’s fast paced, thrilling, and super easy to read especially if you have a short attention span, like I do. We get to see a little bit more about Winter’s pop star life than we did in book 1 which I found really nice. There were a few mysteries in this book that all kind of tied together but I liked how one of them specifically dealt with Winter’s life as a pop star and some of the public issues that happen. Sydney of course takes the cake, again, for being an absolute icon. She went through SOOO much in this book, and honestly she just needs a happily ever after from all she had to endure in this book in particular.

I could go on but let me just skip to THE ENDING?!

GIRL WHAT?! DON’T LEAVE US HANGING LIKE THAT I NEED MORE!!!

Currently will be dying inside because the third book (if we get one) probably won’t be out for over a year and a half. I shall sleep until then.

All safety info is on my review from book 1 but here is safety info for book 2:

Both Winter and Sydney’s ex’s are in this book and are side/ main characters.
- They don’t have feelings for their ex’s anymore and if they did it was shot down at the end of the book (iykyk)
- Winter’s other ex fling is also in this story since they are still best friends but no romantic feelings between them anymore. It seems like they both moved on.
- No kissing ex’s but Winter’s ex did kiss his cheek a few times when he took her as his date to a gala.
- It wasn’t stated if they were with others during the separation so I'm not sure about that

A huge thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for this ARC! Now I need book 3 ASAP!

Just like the first book in the series, I thoroughly enjoyed my time reading Icon and Inferno! Also, can we take a moment for the cover?? Stunning.

Once again, the character banter was a lot of fun. The characters still had depth, and I loved the themes and life lessons that were woven into the book. The plot was pretty good, but it felt half-baked at times. Some of the points needed more explanation, and sometimes the plot did not make a lot of sense. The book seemed to be pretty driven by character relationships, which is totally fine. It was just not what I was expecting, given the first book was more detailed and understandable plot-wise in my opinion. However, I think Icon and Inferno is still such a fun read! I would definitely recommend it.

** Thank you so much to Roaring Brook Press for an Advance Readers Copy of Icon and Inferno in exchange for an honest review! The thoughts above are entirely my own.**

I think this series is like fine wine… as it ages, it gets better. Seriously, I found myself hooked into this one way more than the first.

Marie’s writing is always captivating, but the world she’s creating here is very unique in my opinion. Obviously we’re used to the dystopian worlds which are usually created by a post world war, but what about pre world war? That’s the story that’s essentially being set up and because of that, I’m craving so much more.


Sydney and Winter’s takes a little bit of a deeper dive into this one and the ending proclamations had me jumping up and down!!! Book three where are you?! How long do I have to wait!?

Overall, this series is only getting better. I even sobbed like a little baby at one point in this story. Can’t wait for more!

4⭐️ | 0.5🌶️

although I didn’t love the first book in the series, I was so excited for the sequel because I knew the potential the characters and the plot had, and this book definitely lived up to it! it flowed like a good action movie, and made it nearly impossible for me to put down!

Marie Lu has this ability to make me cry and laugh and feel jealous and swoony and sad. Just all the emotions her characters are feeling, she has the ability to transfer to me and make me feel them too, and this book is no different from the many other Marie Lu books I've read. This book DESTROYED me. After reading Stars and Smoke I fell in love with Winter Young and Sydney Cossette. A spy and a pop star? HOOKED. Their little enemies-to-lovers situation had me obsessed, and the tension, pining, and longing stares continue in Icon and Inferno. Nothing makes the heart want what it can't have like seeing someone else with the person you secretly want to be with. Bringing their exes into the picture? It's the perfect storm for continued pining, longing and a bit of jealousy. The action scenes in this book were INTENSE. Had me sitting on the edge of my seat, feeling like I just jumped out of an airplane without a parachute kind of intense. And while I found Stars and Smoke to be a bit predictable, Icon and Inferno really threw me for a loop. I didn't see the twist coming, which was refreshing! (spoiler alert?!) The death of one of the characters I did NOT see coming, and it left me sobbing very real tears over a very fictional character. Irrational? NOPE NEVER. Kinda mad at Lu for making me love this character only to kill them- this is why I have trust issues! The ending wasn't necessarily an easy, clean positive outcome which I appreciate. It felt very real-world rather than just a fairytale with the perfect happy ending. I'm obsessed and will forever and always welcome the hurt that Marie Lu inflicts upon my emotional psyche. Thank you to Netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

I loved the first book (Stars and Smoke) and I love this one too! Marie Lu knows how to write a fight scene as well as an overall entertaining story. I was so excited to see the little Hideo and Emika cameo! I was looking forward to this book since I finished the first one and I am happy with how it turned out. Also, the cover art is incredible!

I really liked this!! I knew i would because everything Marie Lu writes is incredible, but this was no exception. I found a new love for Winter and Sydney, especially for their relationship. I love that it's slowly burning, and even though we as an audience know they're going to be together, we still don't know when. Their conflicts don't magically resolve so they can be together, and I love that. I also love how chill this series is. Although it's as action-packed as ever, it doesn't stress me out to read. It's just nice and comfortable. Although I do miss the emotional devastation Lu's other books holds, I still love this saga.

It would be a dream come true to interview Marie Lu on my podcast, Raise Your Words. Icon and Inferno is a fast paced novel. Icon and Inferno is one of my highly anticipated novels!! I thoroughly enjoyed it and can't wait to read more of Marie's books. Sign me up!!

(I have to say there is a spoiler, though I don’t know if it really is…)
“I promise I’m yours.”

Oh my gawd!!! Gutted me! Completely. Sobbing with like a bigness that even disturbed me a little. I mean, I know their reality doesn’t allow for anything else, but gggaaaaahhhhhhhhh!!!! “I want them together!!!” she whines! Sure. I’m 60 and it’s more than a little embarrassing and certainly completely ridiculous for me to be crying about fictional characters. But I did. I do. I will. Because Marie Lu is that good. Heavy gutted sigh. 💜💜💜📚