4.5

"Rise to your feet, Shin Lina. One last time."

this book sent me on a rollercoaster. it made me cry, made me hate, made me question life at times, and towards the very end, even made me happy. i welcomed all the emotions this book had to offer (some more than others, haha); sophie kim truly has such an amazing talent with story writing, because everything about this story is so well crafted. the plot twist at the end made me lose all hope in life NOT GONNA LIE AHAHAHA MISS SOPHIE JUST LETTING YOU KNOW I HAVEN'T HEALED!!

we got to explore so many new pov's in this book and there was truly not a single on that i did not like!! i loved iseul's character so much and her and seojin's interaction were so <33 I LOVE THEM!! there definitely were some characters that i hated A LOT in this book they deserve what they go through at the end they can go rot in a ditch for all i care oh i hate them

honestly this whole book was like it gets worse before it gets better. but it got worse a lot. like it was worse, worse, worse, slightly better, worse, WORSE, worse, then better again. the ending really does heal something within you. my heart was actually aching as i read the last few chapters. those last couple of chapters were so freaking good to read i absolutely love how she takes on a full journey that truly connects the previous two books. this book, i think, at it's core, is about learning to accept yourself. it's about forgiving, understanding, love (all types, romantic, platonic, familial), and most importantly, loving yourself. that whole maze we go through (if you know, you know) was probably one of my favourite parts of this book.

also, i just want to talk about rui. this is the type of loyalty and trust we need in real life. this man is truly something else. the faith he has in lina, the way even if the entire world says that he needs to kill her body he tries his hardest to avoid it? the love he has for lina???? oh my god please he is just. just too good for this world. my poor boy went through so freaking much this book i'm hoping he takes the time to heal (and based on the ending, i think he has/is :))

i'm going to avoid talking about each character individually because it is very difficult to do without spoiling, so i'm just going to say that this is truly a fantastic conclusion; sophie kim i cannot wait for you to write more.

Reign of the Talon was such a satisfying ending to a fantastic series!

I cannot rave enough about this series and it deserves so much recognition: I loved the first books but this finale was just… perfection. It’s everything anyone would want and Sophie Kim has just become an auto buy author for me.

Enemies to lovers and morally grey characters (the REAL thing!) with a story that instantly becomes intricately tied to your emotions and imagination. I hate that I’m so good at seeing through plots and guessing twists… but not in this book! I’m obsessed with Sophie Kim’s ability to spin tales of trauma, love, redemption and lots of gods and magic while giving the BEST twists and surprises. I mean, what more could a fantasy lover ask for?

I regularly get attached to characters throughout series and this was not an exception. I will miss them but I’m so grateful that I can pick up and reread this series as often as I want.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC, I was ecstatic to receive it!

What an ending to a wonderful series! Culminating a series the way that Sophie Kim has done is chef's kiss! This book was the perfect example of self discovery and following Lina's journey after book two has me desiring to be a better version of myself! I am so sad this series is over!

5✰ // Reign of the Talon took me on such an emotional, heartfelt journey. Having followed this series since Last of the Talons, it feels like I’ve had this story engraved in my heart for so long now. This conclusion to the series was everything I could’ve asked for and then some that I couldn’t have even imagined. Reign of the Talon features Kim’s trademark evocative and engaging storytelling and writing abilities that have captivated me since I first discovered her work. My heart feels so tender at this moment but I loved every moment of reading this series and following these characters and this world that Kim has woven and I will continue to cherish it for years to come. For those that have been here since the first book in the Talons series, you absolutely need to read this as soon as you can; and to those just hearing of this series, this is your sign to start the Talons series and let Lin and Rui’s story captivate you as well.

Thank you so much to Entangled Teen and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

in this conclusion to the talons trilogy, lina, trapped inside her own mind, can do nothing but watch as chaos reigns in the three kingdoms. rui refuses to surrender and leads the armies against the imugi. the red thread of fate ties rui, lina, and the prophecy together, and only gets tighter the harder lina fights against her destiny.

something i commented on in my review of book two, wrath of the talon, was the angst. i wish i could go back in time and warn myself that the angst in that book was nothing compared to this one😭 not complaining at all, because i love books that make me emotional, but oh man…this book destroyed me in the best way.

i highly recommend this to anyone who enjoyed the previous two books! stock up on tissues!

Breathtakingly beautiful, full of page-turning adventure, and truly impossible to put down. Sophie creates such a unique journey for Lina and I am utterly obsessed with every part of it. I laughed, I cried, and I picked up my jaw off the floor multiple times.

This is a breathtaking conclusion to the "Talons" trilogy. Shin Lina battles to reclaim herself as the ruthless Prophecy controls her body, bringing chaos to the Three Kingdoms. Meanwhile, Rui, the immortal Dokkaebi Emperor, fights relentlessly to stop the devastation, even knowing their fates are bound together; victory may come at an unbearable cost. The story is packed with action, emotional depth, and mythology-rich worldbuilding. Lina and Rui’s journey is gripping, with unexpected twists and a stunning, bittersweet ending. This series masterfully blends enemies-to-lovers romance with high-stakes adventure. A must-read for fantasy fans, this final book kept me hooked until the last page!

(Thank you to NetGalley and Brittany Zimmerman at Untangled Publishing for this ARC. This is a voluntary review, and all opinions are my own.)

I took my time reading this book because I didn't want to say goodbye to the characters I fell in love with some years back. Going back to this story is always both heart-warming and heart-wrenching. Especially after the second book (I'm still in shock!!), I was honestly scared to see what Sophie Kim had prepared for us in the grand finale. But I also knew it was going to be epic because you can read the love the author poured into these characters and the story off the paper.
Until the last chapter, I didn't know how the story would go, but I trusted the author, and it paid off because every piece fell into place in just the right way. The journey was also healing (I could take some of that advice for myself!), but it kept me at the edge of my seat.
I loved the multiple POVs. It weaves the story well, adding excitement, anticipation, and tension. I loved how the characters changed throughout the story. I tried figuring out who was pulling the strings in the story, but the ultimate threadweaver was the author. She leads this story masterfully! I did not expect the end (I was actually caught off guard many times throughout the book), but I LOVED EVERY BIT OF IT.
I already cannot wait to go back to this whole trilogy and fall in love with it all over again!

An incredible finale to this Korean mythology-inspired trilogy. In this final installment, the stakes reach fever pitch as the prophecy—and the war it heralds—collide with deeply personal journeys of its characters.

Lina, the once-fierce assassin, finds herself struggling to put the pieces of her shattered self back together as she's kept imprisoned in her own mind. Throughout the series, the escalating conflicts never sacrifice the space needed for her powerful character arc, and here, in the finale, that journey is both heartbreaking and triumphant. Her inner battle against a destiny she feels responsible for is rendered with raw emotion and nuanced complexity. It's so good.

Then there’s Rui—the immortal Dokkaebi Emperor whose love for Lina remains a constant, even in the midst of chaos and everyone else doubting her. Rui’s internal conflict, torn between the fate of the world and the woman he loves, adds a layer of bittersweet tension that REALLY enriches the story. While Rui’s struggles and his multifaceted nature are integral to the narrative, it is Lina’s evolution that takes center stage, and that is exactly as it should be.

The twists and turns throughout the book are as unexpected as they are satisfying, culminating in epic battles that are both visually and emotionally stunning. I love that even the 'evil' characters are given moments of emotional depth. The intertwining of fate, love, and sacrifice is masterfully executed, leaving me profoundly proud of Lina’s journey and incredibly satisfied with the bittersweet ending.

Simply put, Reign of the Talon is one of the best epic YA fantasy trilogies I’ve had the pleasure of reading—an unforgettable conclusion marked by wonderful characters, unforgettable twists, and battles that echo with the weight of destiny.

Thanks to @coloredpagesbt @entangledteen @sophiekimwrites for the complimentary copy. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.

Reign of the Talon is the third and final installment in author Sophie Kim's Talon trilogy. This story revolves around three key characters: Haneul Rui (the Pied Piper, Emperor of Gyeulcheon) and Shin Lina, who has been split into two personalities (Prophecy and Prisoner) thanks to the heartbreaking events of Wrath of the Talon. Iseul is the last of her kind, a seven-tailed Gumiho who befriended Lina but has no idea what really happened to her. The Prophecy has already conquered one kingdom; now it wants the other two, Wyusan and Bonseyo.

Lina is a prisoner caged in the walls of her own mind. The once fierce assassin, Reaper of Sunpo, can do nothing but watch as the Prophecy, which she released upon the world, seems to be unstoppable, along with her Serpent allies who know that if the Prophecy reaches Fulfillment, they will be freed to take on their real persona, dangerous dragons. The only person who seems to understand what happened to Lina is her husband Rui who she is tied to for life. With Rui pushing her, Lina finds that she must face not only her past, but her future as well, and she needs to find a way to forgive herself for what happened to her Talons.

Meanwhile, Rui—the immortal Dokkaebi Emperor who stole Lina's heart—refuses to surrender. He alone leads the armies against the dangerous, serpentine Imugi. He alone wields his scorching fire atop blood-soaked battlefields, and he alone rallies his soldiers against a terrifying future of death and destruction. He also has to deal with backstabbing members of his own cadre of friends who discover a way to end the Prophecy. To top it off, it seems as though the Gods are awake, and they are not happy with what is happening, and they will do everything they can to stop the Prophecy.

Now, the red thread of fate ties them all together in love and hatred—Rui, Lina, and the merciless Prophecy herself. And the more Lina fights against her destiny, the tighter the thread becomes. Lina finds that if she can solve a series of challenges and find 7 keys, she may be able to escape. But will it be too late? Lina faces her mistakes and her guilt over her Talon friends who make an appearance to help her and guide her to a series of twists and turns. Only a strong person could deal with what Lina goes through in this book, and come out stronger for it.

This may have been the most twisted, emotional ending to a series I have read for a long time. Lina's relationship with her sister Eunbi made me smile and cry at the same time. Rui's chapters were definitely the most nervous for me, knowing that if he failed to stop the Prophecy, everything would be lost. Iseul's chapters are interesting in that we see someone who lost everything somehow, a healer wins her heart. The introduction of the Korean Gods/Goddesses was a nice touch since this series is based on Korean mythology.

I cannot believe this series has come to an end. When I read book 1 ages ago, I did not realise how much I would come to love this series. With Reign of the Talon , my love for the series has only grown. It is oddly bittersweet to bid farewell to this world and the characters, but man oh man, I loved the ending.

Among the many many things that I loved about this book was the inclusion of POV from different characters. This allowed a fresh new look at the story, from both sides of the battle. Lina and Rui's POVs were my favourite, because their agony, their pain and determination to find each other again just flows off the page. Lina has gone through so much throughout the trilogy, and this book really showcases the aftereffects of everything, and how desperate Lina is to fix things. Rui's POV was especially agonizing because clearly, he was split between two fronts - protect his love or kill the monster that resides within her body. I loved getting to read from Iseul's POV; she is bratty in the best way possible, and lowkey I would love a spin-off just about her adventures after the conclusion of this book.

I absolutely loved the battle scenes here - they were a masterpiece and it felt like you were actually there alongside the characters. The scheming and the strategising was another part of the book that I obsessed over; those scenes were beautifully crafted and were some of the best in the book. Also, special shoutout to that one character appearance that I let out a scream at. Those who have read all of Sophie Kim's books, you might scream too.

The conclusion and the ending go in a direction I didn't think they would, but make complete sense if you think about Lina's overarching story arc. As I mentioned in my opening paragraph of this review, I loved the ending. It wraps up all plot threads of the trilogy neatly, and feels perfect for all the characters.

Reign of the Talon delivers on all fronts as a thrilling conclusion to what has been an absolutely incredible trilogy. I cannot wait to revisit the trilogy and catch all the foreshadowing I might have missed. And after reading this, Sophie Kim has become one of my auto-buy authors and I cannot wait to read more of what she writes!

What a stunning ending to this trilogy! Easily my favorite book in the series (although Last of the Talons will always have a special place in my heart). 

Dropping us right into the middle of the war for the Three Kingdoms, we're met with a fully fledged Prophecy puppeteering Shin Lina's body, the true Lina a Prisoner trapped in her own mind, Dokkaebi Emperor Haneul Rui caught in the middle as he desperately tries to defend the Three Kingdoms while also sparing the body of his soul-stitched, one very fiesty Gumiho who has a taste for bloodlust, a gaggle of Imugi intent on becoming Yong, and a whole cast of side characters at the ready to ensure there was never a dull moment while reading this book. 
I feel like Reign of the Talon really built on the gritty Iseung setting that was established in Wrath of the Talon, which took place in Lina's childhood home of Sunpo. Reign takes us on a journey through the other two kingdoms, Wyusan and Bonseyo, and once again the stark contrast between Iseung and Gyuelcheon was such a great juxtaposition (even though not much of the book takes place in Gyuelcheon). I said in my review for Wrath that Lina and Rui really went through a lot of character growth in the sequel, but WOW their character arcs were insane for this finale of the trilogy. 

On the topic of growth, the way that Lina's character grew and strengthened in this book was highly emotional to read. The mindscape she was trapped in but fought her way out of, the trauma of losing her voice and how she began to communicate using the Quiet Language, all of the demons (literal and figurative) that she overcame...I was so proud of her. I always found Lina to be a very strong character, but everything she overcame in this book was just next-level. As for Rui, I feel like his test really came from being soul-stitched in both hatred and love to the Prophecy and to Lina, respectively. Seeing him constantly war with the physical body of Lina being possessed by the Prophecy and fighting tooth and nail to find the true Lina within her mind and help bring her back...that was the true war Rui was fighting. His love for and faith in Lina took my breath away at times. 

With each book in the series, I have loved the introduction of new characters each time. In Wrath, Iseul was truly the star...in Reign, the gods and Eunwoo really captured my attention as far as new additions to the cast. I would love to read more about Yeomra and Gameunjang's story, as well as more about Eunwoo! I also really loved getting to see Iseul and Seojin's story unfold more in Reign, and getting to watch Iseul's internal dilemma about switching sides in the middle of the war was another excellent show of character growth shown in this story. I was sad to see the inner circle fall apart, but on the flip-side of that emotion I do think it was a really convincing look at how war changes people and their relationships to one another.   

I think maybe one of the most important parts of Reign, and something that I appreciate immensely as a reader, was all of the closure that Sophie gave to all of the characters. We got closure for the Talons and for Eunbi as they were able to return to Iseung and live out their lives that had previously been cut too short; we got closure for Lina and Rui as they followed fate together to rule over Jeoseung (and don't even get me started on the closure Lina got within herself during the final level of the mindscape in the maze of mirrors); truly, all the loose ends were tied up and that left me feeling so satisfied as a reader finishing a series (we even got an ending for Chan and the Imugi!), and I can't thank Sophie enough for that. 

The only thing I didn't love as much this time around compared to Wrath was the interludes--in Wrath, they felt more structured since they all mainly focused on the inner circle together, and it truly felt like each one was advancing the storyline. In Reign, we got so many POVs in the interludes that I feel like they lost some of their impact. I could also see where some people might say the defeat of the Prophecy was too easy (as was my first gut-reaction thought), but I would actually argue that it only seemed so easy because Lina had become so strong mentally from moving through all the levels of her mindscape and defeating Yego and healing herself. The Prophecy was no match for her after that.   

Overall, I loved this conclusion to the Talons series, and I did spend the last 45 minutes that I was finishing it just crying and crying at all of the beautiful and sad and heart-wrenching moments. It was a perfect ending to an incredible trilogy, and I will cherish this series for years to come. I would recommend this to fantasy readers everywhere!  

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Teen for my e-ARC of this title, received in exchange for an honest review.

Okay, so you know that feeling when you reach the end of a book series and you have no idea how the author is going to wrap it all up? That was me going into Reign of the Talent, and let me just say—it did not disappoint. This book is fast-paced, intense, and packed with tension from start to finish. It held my attention the entire time, and I was genuinely on edge wondering where it was all going to go.

That being said, I will admit that at times, it got a little dense. There were a lot of moving pieces—plot threads, character arcs, big dramatic moments—so I occasionally had to pause and mentally sort everything out. But honestly? That didn’t take away from my enjoyment. The core story stayed strong, and the way everything came together by the end was totally worth it.

Now, let’s talk about the romance—absolute perfection. The tension, the longing, the angst—I ate it up. And the fact that we got a happily ever after? Yes, thank you. I love a good slow burn with a solid payoff, and this book delivered.

One trope I don’t always love is the “brought back to life” moment, but in this case, I think it worked. There were a lot of deaths (some of which felt… unnecessary), so having that element in the story helped balance things out. Plus, the way it played out—the whole exchange for her sister’s life, and then the waiting aspect—felt unique and well thought out. It wasn’t just a cheap undo button; it actually mattered.

Overall, Reign of the Talent stuck the landing for the series. It was intense, emotional, and completely gripping, even when it got a little overwhelming. If you’re into fast-moving fantasy with high stakes and swoon-worthy romance, definitely add this to your TBR.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for a copy to review!

A satisfying ending to the series. I liked how the Prophecy was resolved since I wasn't expecting it, but I admit I was frustrated with Rui for the most of thw book - I don't like when rulers decide to sacrifice their own people just to save one person. But overall I really enjoyed the book and congratulate the author with finishing this series!

3.5 stars

thank you SO MUCH to netgalley, colored pages blog tours and entangled teen for an early (AND PHYSICAL) copy! all opinions are my own!

yeah no, hello new favourite book of the year and new fave trilogies of all time
this book made me sob FIVE FREAKING TIMES!!!! AND ALL OF THOSE TIMES WAS BECAUSE OF SOMETHING THE MC WAS SUFFERING THROUGH!!! there is no other character that deserves peace and a beautiful life than Lina, tbh. she went through SO MUCH and i adored her journey in this book. it also solidified Rui as the ultimate book boyfriend because the many times he repeated that he would do ANYTHING for Lina had me swooning badly. all the POVs added so much to the story, Iseul's POV was one i truly enjoyed reading and made me love her more.
if you haven't read the trilogy, i don't know what else to tell you: it was Korean mythology, enemies to lovers to enemies to a lot of things, characters who would do anything to protect their loved one, high stakes, a lot of character development, prophecies that don't make sense, horrible villains that sometimes those could be the MCs themselves... i will never regret asking for the audiobook of the first one after seeing it on the Read now section on Netgalley. Thank you Fate for bringing it to my fave series ever ❤❤❤❤❤

Considering how Wrath of the Talon ended, I knew I had to immediately jump into Reign of the Talon. I loved how it ended as Kim develops Lina as a character and her relationship with Rui. In Reign of the Talon, Lina faces her own imprisonment and her grief. We can become so overcome with grief, we allow ourselves and our actions to go against who we are. Reign of the Talon is about confronting our mistakes and our guilt to come back to who we are. To reclaim Lina's agency and face her ghosts.

The finale in a wonderful trilogy filled with secrets, devious gods, unbreakable prophecies, and the love that not even death can tear apart. Picking up where the previous books left off Shin Lina has become a prisoner inside her own body, grieving the loss of her younger sister and the hand her new husband has played in it... all the while the Prophecy, a parasite, has taken over her body and begun a bloody ruthless war. Hanuel Rui, the immortal Dookaebi Emperor and husband of Lina is determined to stop the war, but most of all to get his wife back. Hanuel still feels the connection to Lina but he knows that if he doesn't find a way to get her back in control of her body he will be forced to kill her. With devious gods plotting against them, with fate playing at them... and with so much heartbreak and pain, can Lina and Rui find a way to defy it all or will they be torn apart forever? I've loved this series from the first book to the last, it was a action packed, heart wrenching series that had me so excited for every single book. The romance was so beautifully plotted and the various relationships between the characters was well fleshed out. Lina and Rui both go through so much and grow so much from the first book. This story had romance but most of all it had the heart to show Lina forgiving herself, reclaiming herself, and fighting for herself. It's such a fantastic series and I truly will be recommending this for anyone who enjoys fantastic fantasy series that will stay with them long after they've finished reading it.

Release Date: February 11, 2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC | Entangled: Teen for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Wow wow wow… I started reading the first book in this series about a month ago and was immediately hooked, I read the second book and then had the opportunity to read this book for an honest review. The story is captivating from book one, but I don’t have the words for all the feelings I had as I read Reign of the Talon. I don’t want to give anything away, but I will say that the conclusion of this series will have you on the edge of your seat, wondering and hoping for a happy ending. It was beautifully written and the way everything came together gave me goosebumps. Thank you to the author, Entangled Publishing, and NetGalley for this eARC. This story will be sticking with me for a long time.

Thank you to Engtangled Publishing and Entangled Teen (Brittany Zimmerman and Riki Cleveland, specifically) for the opportunity to read the eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you, Sophie Kim, for sharing this beautiful world and amazing, heart-breaking story with us.

"Death does not die, Shin Lina, and neither will you."

Book 3 of the trilogy picks up with Shin Lina, self-proclaimed Goddess of Wrath, is continuing her quest of fulfilling the prophecy of turning the Imugi into Yong. She's conquered one of the Three Kingdoms and has two left: Wyusan and Bonseyo. But Shin Lina is no longer herself after the death of her little sister, Eunbi.

Reign of the Talon is told in multiple POV. Shin Lina has split into two personas: the Prophecy (evil, yuck) and the Prisoner (c'mon girl, get free). You get a lot of Hanuel Rui (the Pied Piper, Emperor of Gyeulcheon) as he tries everything in his power to save his soul-stitched. There's a lot of characters in this installment, and I found myself loving Iseul (the last Gumiho) even more in this book than the last. And don't get me started on Ruy Soejun.... the healer.

Can Hanuel Rui save his wife? Can Shin Lina escape the prison she's been caged in? Will the Prophecy be fulfilled? What does the involvement of the Pantheon of Gods mean for our beloved characters? What happens in the Imugi turn into Yong??? These questions and more made it impossible to put this book down. I found myself sobbing on no less than 6 different occasions (you can ask my co-workers).

This book is beautifully written, descriptive, and gripping. I found myself not wanting it to end. I'm sad that the series is over, but I am oh so grateful to have had the opportunity to immerse myself in it for as long as I could. Add this to your TBR immediately.

"Long live the Talons..... long live the damned."

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5 stars
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

Reign of the Talon Is the third and last book in the Talons series! It continues after the events of Wrath of the Talon.

“Fear not that this is your end—trust that this is your beginning.”

Beware of spoilers for the previous in the series!
Last of the Talons review|⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Wrath of the Talons review|⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

I have loved the previous two books in this series and couldn’t wait to get my hands on the conclusion to this story! Especially after the cliffhanger that Wrath of the Talon ended on!! I love this series and couldn’t have wished for a better conclusion!

The ending of book 2 had me absolutely heartbroken and I couldn’t see a way how this story could possibly continue, but I have to say that Sophie wrote an absolute masterpiece of a book that had me on the edge of my seat from the very start!

The plot is engaging from the very beginning and the multiple POV the book has, had me on the edge of my seat and filled me with a need to keep on reading. I enjoyed every POV and the different interludes in this story so much and I loved how it helped along the progression of the plot!

Lina goes through so much character growth in this book! It’s insane if you compare her to the Lina from the first book! She truly became the best possible version of herself while battling all the struggles she has endured throughout her life!

Rui is one of the strongest characters in this book, who has endured almost as much as Lina has, but saw his soul-stitched be taken over and losing all that hope! Everyone expecting him to kill her body, and when he learns Lina still lives but can’t tell anyone! I can’t image the loneliness and hopelessness he has felt, but how strong he is throughout and doing everything he can to help Lina was everything!

The book had me on an emotional rollercoaster from the very beginning, but God damn that ending made me cry all over again! Slowly the pieces started to come together, and I saw light at the end of the dark tunnel, but that didn’t mean it didn’t break my heart while reading it!

Overall, Reign of the Talon is just a masterpiece of an ending to an amazing series and one that I won’t stop recommending to those who love enemies-to-lovers, morally grey characters and stories of forgiveness and amazing character growth!