Wrath of the Talon had a bit of a different tone than Last of the Talons, with Lina returning to the mortal world and focusing on getting revenge at the end of the first book, but I thought the second book was just as strong and didn't suffer from second-book syndrome at all! I really enjoyed seeing Lina and Rui's relationship develop, as well as seeing Lina interact with her little sister. Sophie Kim's writing never fails to impress and keep me glued to the pages.

The sequel to the “bloodthirsty, addictive, and searingly romantic”* debut from Sophie Kim is an unflinching roller coaster ride of action, romance, and intricate fantasy lore.

It pains me to say I didn't enjoy this one as much as its first book. It still had amazing writing and plot, but it's so much darker in theme and the story rely heavily on miscommunication (or lack of communication) which can be frustrating to read. Both Lina and Rui are deeply traumatized people and deeply carry their scars so they are unable to fully trust each others, and this manifest in them keep making ke same mistakes over and over again. I will still read the final book but this one just sadly didn't work for me.

It’s been so long since I read Last of the Talons that when I first picked up Wrath of the Talon, my one remaining brain cell probably exited as it tried to remember what happened and slow jogged (and pulled out notes) because the recap that we get is pretty vague. We get tossed right into the book pretty much.

But this sequel and second book to the Talon trilogy is dark, and Sophie Kim does not hold back. I loved it (mostly), and it was glorious because while mostly everyone else thinks Shin Lina is dead after freeing the leader of the Blackbloods from the realm of the Dokkaebi (Gyeulcheon), she’s very much not dead. And she’s out for blood and vengeance for the death of the Talons.

She’s not alone, though. Throughout Wrath of the Talon, Lina’s fighting a darker voice (named The Voice) inside of her: she’s simply wanting vengeance for the Talons and to cut down the Blackbloods slowly and painfully one at a time so Konrarnd Kalmin knows the exact pain she felt when he took everything away from her. But The Voice? It doesn’t want to take back Sunpo — it wants to take all Three Kingdoms, and it’ll be using Lina to accomplish that goal.

The writing style takes on a much darker tone with The Voice around, and there’s a lot of inner monologue between Lina and The Voice as they’re gathering allies and plotting to take back Sunpo from the Blackbloods, so there’re new characters as well! I absolutely love Iseul and Seojin, and I think they were refreshing to the story as most of this book is driven by The Voice in possession of Lina. I do feel like the inner monologue made the book feel long in some parts while not actually dragging along. This is more of a personal preference though, because The Voice is a vital part of the story. Lina’s also undergoing a physical transformation due to the Imugi poison mixing in her blood, so there’s a lot of duality and contrast throughout, and I loved seeing this.

I think there’s a lot more development, too — I felt like in Last of the Talons we got told Lina being the Reaper of Sunpo was ruthless, grim and violent constantly, but here we finally get shown. This may partially be in part due to The Voice, and the fact there’s so much more opportunity than assassination attempts on a certain Dokkaebi.

Wrath of the Talon also has the addition of interludes from other characters, and I feel like this elevated the book in so many ways that we wouldn’t get otherwise! Honestly, I kind of now wish we got some interludes from Rui and his circle in Last of the Talons. We got to see what was happening back in Gyeulcheon, and how they can prevent The Voice from accomplishing what it really wants as Rui and his circle realize Lina isn’t really herself. We also get to see the creation of Gyeulcheon, and more history between the Dokkaebi and the Imugi and why they harbor such an intense hate for each other. This was such a solid writing choice, and I loved it.

Like the first novel, there’s a lot of setup, but I think this was a strong sequel overall (perhaps even stronger than its predecessor), and I’m happy I gave Wrath of the Talon a go — there are no regrets. I’m absolutely gutted by the ending and excited to see what Sophie Kim brings in the third book!

A stunning sequel!

I really enjoyed being back in this world, and after rereading the first book, I felt like it was exactly what I was expecting. This book is more action-packed but also has a lot of politics and drama. The romance definitely gets deeper and there's a found family aspect which I wasn't expecting. The writing was lyrical, and more immersive, and I felt so happy to be immersed in its pages.

Overall, an amazing sequel that didn't feel slow! Thanks to NetGalley for the e-arc!

5 star read! I loved the first book, and this book was a great sequel.
This book’s dedication “For the angry girls” really hits the mark! The story was full of revenge and vengeance. Shin Lina is out for it all. She’s a dark, powerful, possessed, and bitter girl. The scenes were so well-crafted that I felt genuine anxiety and my heart raced. It’s so satisfying when I’m pulled into the story like that. ⁣
⁣
I’m still blown away by the ending of this book, and I’m eagerly awaiting the next installment. I’m completely hooked on this story and eager to discover the next twist.
I love all the characters in the story, but Iseul might be my new favorite. Iseul is a new major character in this book and was so much fun. She is bold and bright and unashamedly ruthless. She runs a brothel and a secret drug den. She terrifies her enemies. And she’s also got plenty of ways to defend herself.

This is book 2 of the vivid tale of two sisters and their dark and twisted journeys in this Asian inspired revenge plot!

This book immediately picks up after book 1 (so make sure you start with that first) and seeing Ruinand Lina grow stonger and make tough choices while trying to remain heroes was an absolute delight! But the pain this sequel served… yikes i am not recovered yet. Sophie knows how to utterly destroy you but still leave you desperate for more.

This was my review for the previous novel and I can only confirm it. Can't wait to read the next novel:
This is one of the best romantic fantasy book I read this year and one of the best fantasy tout court.
The author did an excellent job in creating a fascinating world building, an action packed plot and a romance that works and never put the action on the backseat.
I discovered it's part of a series and I can't wait to read the rest.
As it's so good I hope it will be read by a lot of people.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

I love this series so much. It's dark and full of revenge. However, I need a reread of book 1 so that I can fully enjoy this series.

From what I read this was cute and well written.
I helped with promotion of this book. I didn’t have time to read the whole thing which is why I didn’t sign up to so.
I was part of a TBR & Beyond Tour.

Book Review

Title: Wrath of the Talon by Sophie Kim (Talon Book 2)

Genre: Fantasy, Folklore

Rating: 3.25 Stars

After the ending of book one, the prelude sets up a revenge story unlike the first book since Lina now has new powers on her side, but we don’t know what this means for her, and Rui’s reaction plays into this. After returning Lina to Sunpo, we know her plan is to destroy the Blackbloods working for the bottom up, leaving Asina and Kalmin for last. She is also gathering allies in the city to help establish her rule when Kalmin is finally gone but she is struggling to gain control of her new abilities and it is beginning to frustrate her especially since she doesn’t have Rui to lean on during these moments. As Lina butchers her way through the lowest rank of the Blackbloods, the claws, we see that she is also trying to make amends for things she has done in the past, to see herself as good and worthy of leading Sunpo. Lina has a lot of issues that are coming to the front in this book and without Rui or Eunbi to distract her, she has no choice but to face them.

The introduction of the Voice is also something new, it was briefly looked at towards the end of the first book, but we really see it here. It seems like when Lina was given the enhancer and brought back to life, something attached itself to her resulting in the voice in her head. I think it is an Imugi personally, since it would explain, its hatred towards Dokkaebi, as they are mortal enemies, it explains the strange dreams Lina has been having to. However, I think there is more to it than the Voice and her Imugi abilities, I think Lina might be involved in something larger since the Imugi in her dreams refers to her as child of venom. Rui is also dealing with his own issues as he has been forced to break his promise to Lina, kidnapping an entire marketplace from Sunpo and she seems to figure out that the gods or something darker is forcing his hand. Again, I think this is the Imugi, my theory is Rui struck a bargain with them to retreat to the realm of the dead, ending the war between their races and in return he must feed them humans or human souls, but I am not 100% sure right now.

it is beginning to seem like I was partially right, but we don’t have all the facts yet. Lina has succeeded in basically wiping out the claws and made some allies along the way, which has angered Kalmin, but he doesn’t suspect Lina at all, even moving the Blackbloods into the Talon’s palace. One of the allies she has made in Song, turns out to be gumiho, potentially the last one in the human realm after the rest were wiped out and Lina is determined to protect her when she has control of Sunpo. Meanwhile, Rui asks to return Eunbi for one day while something is happening in his realm and while he doesn’t talk about it, we do get to see some of it. It turns out that they are paying a tithe for almost losing the war with the Imugi and the humans he took from the market are being killed or tortured but he can’t discuss it with Lina yet. It is also here that Rui confesses to Kang that he believes he and Lina are soul-stitched, which is tied to the rare occurrence of the red string of fate binding two souls together, in this case, Rui and Lina which might be a problem later since many like Hana are both suspicious and scared of Lina because of her Imugi traits and she still has the Voice to deal with.

We follow Lina as she continues killing and gaining allies, but the Voice is becoming more of a problem especially when it takes away her fear of the Imugi. She ends up speaking with the one from her visions and dreams and learns that they are bound because Lina consumed its scale which make sense in a twisted way. She does end up telling Rui that an Imugi came to her which prompts them to bounce off one another again both wanting to know the other’s secret despite Lina already having a good idea what happened to the people in the market, but she doesn’t know why. In the end she ends up taking down the remaining targets, but the Voice convinces her to target Asina to, but Asina is a far more deadly opponent. While Lina gets the drop on them in the beginning, Asina knows her weaknesses forcing her to summon the Imugi, Sonagi to kill her. In return, Sonagi shows her the history that Rui has been withholding from her and more.

It turns out that the Imugi retreated from the war with the Gods and Dokkaebi, regardless of the bargain Rui made and the tithe he pays to them because the god of death had come to them. He informed the Imugi of a prophecy and gave them his realm to retreat into which they did, and they have been waiting for the Child of Venom in Lina to emerge. However, it is stated that once prophecies are heard, they are almost certain to come true and despite not wanting to know it, the Voice forces Lina to hear it, almost gaining completely control over her body and mind. I don’t think the Voice is aware of the emotionally connection between Rui and Lina meaning that even if the Voice was controlling Lina’s actions and words, Rui would be able to feel the truth in her emotions. I still want to know what or who the voice is exactly since it seems to have strong ties to the Imugi without being one and hates the Dokkaebi and Gods alike. At the halfway point, I am aware that there is a third book to come so I have a feeling a major cliffhanger is coming. I think the rest of this book will be Lina being controlled by the Voice and Rui figuring out what is going on with her and the final book will be bringing various elements of the plot to their conclusions which is a same since there are enough duologies and this is already feeling way too drawn out for my liking.

It is soon explained that the voice is the sentient prophecy driving Lina to fulfil it even though it isn’t what she wants. Rui determined to believe they are bound as lovers, not enemies, begins looking for a way to free Lina from the prophecy without killing her as Hana and Chan have suggested. They come to the conclusion of a fake alliance with the Imugi but marrying Lina and Rui, while buying themselves some time and surprising Lina controlled by the prophecy agrees to this. Despite being trapped Lina is aware that Rui knows there is something different about her but tries to keep it hidden from the voice. With the wedding preparations sets for a few days’ time, they break the news to the Imugi who seem pleased with the arrangement especially when Lina frees them from the realm of the dead. Her allies have also noticed something is off with Lina, but they can’t really do or say anything about it, the only one that would have a chance against Lina now is Song or Rui.

Rui during an argument with “Lina” realises that his fire does damage to the prophecy long enough for the real Lina to rise to the surface and when he informs Kang of this, he immediately begins researching a way they can use this to their advantage since they have 5 days at most before Lina is in control of Sunpo and one step closer to the outcome the Imugi want which is their evolution into dragons. Honestly, I knew with only 100 pages left that nothing was going to get tied up neatly in this book but I was hoping for Lina to be broken out of this control or at least for them to find a safe way to drive it back, giving Lina her conscious control back since following her like this really isn’t that entertaining as it is destroying a character we have come to care for over the course of two books.

Honestly, the ending of the book had me cursing, I was expecting a cliffhanger, but I was hoping the story went in an entirely different direction than it did. Due to this I won’t be reading the final book when it comes out. A specific death was used as fodder in my opinion and the final scenes were all to set up something that could have been done in this book. I believe if the pacing issue in the first book was fixed, the first half of this one could have been put there. Then the second half of this book regardless of whether the author went down the path she did or the one I wanted could have played it out better than what we got. One feature of the book that wasn’t great for me was the interludes. In most books, these are used to feature character perspective from minor characters or show events from a different perspective, think how Sanderson uses them in The Ways of Kings. The only purpose they serve here is to show Rui’s perspective, which makes me think this might have been better as a dual POV series rather than singular if Kim was just going to include Rui’s perspective anyway. Overall, this book wasn’t bad, but I was very disappointed by the direction it took so it will get a lower rating than book one.

Wrath of Talon
Sophie Kim

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 cliffhanging stars

Sophie Kim really?!? Lawd Have Mercy!! This chick got me, my heart still hurts. This cliffhanger is brutal. I had a literal WTF moment.

This one was full of revenge and vengeance. Shin Lina is out for it all. She’s dark, possessed, powerful and bitter. The scenes were built up so well that I was literally anxious, and my heart was racing. I absolutely love it when Author can draw me in like that.

The Korean mythology was incredible. Kim open my eyes to a whole New World.

I’m still reeling about that ending though… Book 3 cannot get here fast enough. A must read, I loved it.

I love Sophie Kim as an author. All of her work is captivating and beautifully written. Wrath of The Talon was no exception. This book exceeded my expectations as a sequel. The fantasy world was devastatingly complex and gorgeous. The main character was so flawed and human. This book was heartbreak wrapped in lore.

Wrath of the Talon by Sophie Kim is the second installment in the Talon series, and it continues the gripping tale of Shin Lina, an eighteen-year-old assassin believed to be dead. The only ones aware of her survival are her sister and Haneul Rui, the Dokkaebi Emperor she was meant to assassinate. Instead, their fates intertwined with a kiss, setting off a chain of events fueled by vengeance and the potent Imugi venom coursing through Lina's veins.

The narrative is dark and intense, with Lina's transformation into a living embodiment of retribution for the massacre of the Talons. Her newfound abilities, such as summoning serpentine scales and enhanced agility, add a fantastical layer to her character development. The book delves into themes of power, trust, and destiny, as Lina grapples with the mysterious voice guiding her and the looming question of whether her fate is to love Rui or destroy him.

Here are the top 5 reasons to read Wrath of the Talon:
1.Engaging Characters: Lina and Rui's complex relationship and the addition of intriguing side characters like Iseul make for a compelling cast that readers will root for.
2. Mythological Depth: The incorporation of gumiho mythology and the rich cultural backdrop provide a unique twist to the fantasy genre.
3. Dark and Gritty Plot: The story doesn't shy away from darker themes, offering a raw and honest portrayal of the characters' struggles and the violence of their world.
4. Character Growth: Lina's evolution from an assassin to a figure of vengeance and power is well-crafted, allowing readers to witness her transformation and the challenges it brings.
5. Moral Ambiguity: The book explores the blurred lines between right and wrong, friend and foe, love and hate, making readers question the true nature of each character's motives.

"Wrath of the Talon" is a must-read for fans of young adult fantasy who appreciate a story that combines action, romance, and mythology with a dark twist. Sophie Kim has crafted a world that is as brutal as it is beautiful, where every character's choice has weight and consequence.

Thank you for the arc, unfortunately the book did not hold my interest as much as the first one did.

Thank you Publisher and Netgalley for this advanced copy.

This was better than the first book. More action, more interesting plot!!

This was a great sequel to Last Of The Talons! There was so much packed into this story and I loved seeing how the plot and characters developed from book 1. I cannot get over the ending of this book and the next book cannot come out soon enough. I’m definitely invested into this story and need to know what happens next. I definitely recommend picking up this twisty fantasy series.

These characters captured my heart in the first novel – an assassin willing to sacrifice anything for those she loves, and a feared emperor who actually possesses a heart of gold.

I’m always up for a good revenge tale. After her found family is slaughtered in book one and her little sister is threatened, Shin Lina has more than enough cause to take that path. She’s now returned to Sunpo where she was previously known as The Reaper until presumed dead. With her sister safe at the palace with Rui, gathering allies to help her take down the evil Kalmin and steal his throne are her primary concerns. Except with the Imugi venom in her blood, Lina… isn’t quite herself. She listens and speaks to voices no one else can hear. She’s transforming, and it’s an agonizing spiral.

The first 15-20% of the novel moved a little slowly for my taste, but then pacing picked up quickly. I enjoyed meeting the new characters. Iseul is amusing and delightfully devious. Seojin was a surprise, but immediately likeable. I hope to see more of him in the next novel. Rui is still a sweetheart, but he’s put in an impossible position and forced to make equally impossible choices.

That ending? Such pain and agony. The author might as well have ripped out my heart and then taken a chainsaw to it. I’m angry, but also in awe of how it dramatically alters the story and is a perfect setup for book three.

Do I really need to say I need the next book right now? Highly recommended for fans of Korean mythology, action-packed revenge tales, and gut-wrenching twists.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I read this book as part of the blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours. Special thanks to Entangled: Teen for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 4.5 stars rounded up!

TL;DR: Holy wow, this was a sequel! That ending had me floored because no way was that the choice! Author!! The way you built up hope is illegal!!! I can’t remember the last time I was so thrilled by the second book in a trilogy but this, to me, did not suffer from that dreaded second/middle book syndrome. Perhaps it’s because I went in with lowered expectations having thought the first book was okay; however, I think the writing, plot, and character development were sharper and I’m happy to see that author growth. With such high stakes and a whole lot of tension and angst, this sequel got me invested in this series and after that ending, I can’t wait for the finale!

There is a lot that happens in this sequel and while we don’t get much new world-building, we do get to learn more Korean mythology about Imugi, Dokkaebi and the Gods. I loved it so much! Even though serpents terrify me, and reading about them gave me slithery nightmares, their myth added more to the story. Plus, this weaves in lore about the “red thread of fate”—which is one of the reasons why I love East Asian-inspired fantasy so much, especially if there’s a romance involved. It’s one of my favourite bits of East Asian lore and I loved the twist Kim brings to it in this story! I’ve never heard of this side of the lore before so I’m not sure if it’s part of it, but it makes so much sense and it not only made it so freaking painful to hope, but it also raised the stakes!

And speaking of that, not only have the stakes doubled but so has the tension and angst! The closer we got to the end, the more each page felt fraught with agonising tension and I both loved and hated it. The story picks up almost immediately from where book one ends and if you thought that Lina’s roiling emotions were intense then, you haven’t seen anything yet! From the very first chapter, her frothing rage and thirst for vengeance is palpable and it was actually kind of thrilling, lol. Kim very aptly dedicates this to the angry girls because there is a lot of that here and while it can be draining, I think the author maintains it on a level that’s not overwhelming.

But while the emotion does play a big part in our MC’s character arc—in more ways than one here—what I appreciated seeing was the growth in her to do better and to be good. Lina wasn’t happy with who she became and what she was made to do by the Blackbloods and she is genuine in her motivation to atone and help create a better life for the people of Sunpo. She’s still headstrong, occasionally rash, and driven by bloodthirsty revenge, but I liked that she was able to look beyond herself to recognise that those destructive emotions wouldn’t help her create the peaceful world she wants. So, I was honestly a bit sad when all of that intention was obliterated by the power that quite literally is growing within her; but I (grudgingly) understand why the author decided to do it this way. This aspect of the story is not one that I read often (mild spoiler: it’s to do with possession/an entity that takes over a mind/body without consent) and although I found it enraging and frustrating, I’m quite sure that was the author’s intention and I wasn’t meant to empathise with the Voice.

My heart broke for Lina as she fought what at times felt like a losing battle to keep herself out of the clutches of a great and ruthless evil. The author did a great job giving a distinct voice and personality to, well, the Voice. I despised it and was terrified by it in turn. This part of Lina's story challenges the concept of fate. Even if there is a fork in the road which presents two possible outcomes and you could go down either road, if something is already predetermined and fated to happen, just how much can you influence change, if truly at all? Ugh, I had love/hate feelings about how it all came full circle at the end! 😂

Another character I grew to love but also felt so sorry for in this sequel is Rui, Emperor of the Dokkaebi. He has such a delicate and gentle soul and it was clear he would do anything to save Lina. I also loved his affection for Eunbi. 🥹 Despite having his council and close friends, it felt like he went through this torturous journey alone and my heart hurt for him! I’m glad that we were treated to more of his POV, as well as that of the others through interludes told in the third person. We would often get multiple perspectives in these interludes, often without clear demarcations or transitions between views, which was admittedly confusing at times. But it did bring more to the story that I found lacking in the first book and I hope that it continues in the finale especially now that we know which direction this story takes.

That ending pretty much shattered me and I'm genuinely terrified for what's going to come next. It's not going to be good but it's going to be great and I hope the author surprises us and delights us with an incredible finale. This was a thrilling second book in the trilogy and I would recommend it if you enjoyed the first book or are looking for a stabby, revengeful Asian-inspired fantasy with a bloodthirsty MC and interesting lore!

n Sunpo, everyone believes Shin Lina, the 18 year old assassin, is dead. With the Imugi venom in her, she returns stronger, seeking vengeance for the death of loved ones. With new powers and a voice guiding her against her will, she aims to overthrow Kalmin and claim the kingdom back, while dealing with complicated feelings for Rui, the Dokkaebi Emperor. Yet, her destiny to rule and bound by fate, they could end in destruction or love.

I enjoyed reading the first book and I liked this one as well! Lina sometimes falters as the great assassin she’s known to be, but her persistence, empathy, and strength does shine through the resistance against the voice at times. Rui have secrets to hide and fears that what he reveals with result in losing Lina. However, he’s also incredibly supportive and he’s head over heels for Lina. He adores her despite the changes she’s been through involving the imugi. Their romance was endearingly bittersweet!

Overall, the author’s writing is strong and it captivated me into her story through the characters and plot! Since this has the enemies to lovers trope, that was extra points!

4.5/5