Rain of Shadows and Endings Read Along: Week 3 Discussion and Theories
Welcome back to Week Three of our Rain of Shadows and Endings read along! This week, Melissa K. Roehrich finally starts pulling back the curtain on some long-awaited secrets, and I am absolutely here for it.
Missed the beginning of the read along? Catch up with Week One and Week Two before diving into this week’s discussion.
If you’re looking for your next fantasy romance obsession, be sure to check out our current Blood Bound July book box before it sells out.
Theon’s Sudden Change Has Me Suspicious
Theon has a sudden shift in this section, like a switch is flipped, and the change seemingly comes out of nowhere. It doesn’t feel earned, and we don’t get to see the change. It makes me not trust it. Just saying. People don’t just change. It’s a process. Lots of backtracking.
It makes me a little apprehensive for the last section of this book… Just saying.
Tristan Presents a Better Option
Meeting Trisan after the hellish date with Felicity creates an excellent contrast for Theon’s behavior. A practical stranger cares about her without knowing her, stopping Theon from taking her by asking if she’s okay. Making sure that the men she’s with weren’t hurting her before they got into the elevator. Essentially, he offered her a means of escape at his own expense if she wasn’t alright.
Part of me wishes she took him up on it, but that’s not the point of this book, right?
It’s also nice when she sneaks out to drink that he’s there, offering her his coat when she gets cold because he doesn’t like the thought of her being cold. Giving her pizza and companionship, and of course, letting her call her friends.
I will say, her bestie’s reaction is giving me a weird twinge. Something is wrong there, but I can’t put my finger on it.
Overall, Tristan is giving her the decency of her being a person while Theon continues to treat her like property. The contrast is clear, and I see you, Melissa K. Roehrich. I see what you’re doing with him.
To be fair to Theon—but only a little bit, I still hate him—I LOVE how he avenges the men for touching her, even though his father gave them permission (or ordered them to), and he does so in front of his father. Brilliant. It was a great scene. I’m a fan of violence though. The vengeful kind, not the spoiled/abusive kind.
And I love how Tessa played her part. Empowering for her and them as a pair. I wish they could be like that all the time.
Tessa’s Growth and the Dragon Reveal
Her thread of impulsiveness, her power, her need for freedom, and her fear of the dark are all compelling. The trauma is consistent, and I want to know more about how she was abused and why. What was her keeper’s problem? Why can’t Tessa keep still?
See, the author did a good job here, because I want to know more about Tessa. And she’s feeding it to me slowly. Excellently done.
Now, some of the secrets we get, like—ahem—Luka being a dragon! So great. Him being Theon’s guardian instead of Tessa needing to take that role is another great twist. It separates her just enough, makes her different from the other sources, and keeps making this seeped in the unknown. It’s keeping me here.
Her finally getting to learn things is so late coming, but so earned. She actually gets to bargain for behaving in public and being free in private. This will naturally build to something, but I am really hoping that it doesn’t come back to bite her in the ass. Know what I mean?
Because other things are at play around her, like these people who are after her. Who the heck are you guys? And why are all these people watching her, hiding her? How does Dex fit into this? I already have concerns over her bestie. It seems like he was sent for her specifically, and that has me gnawing at the fat for the reasons.
I’m into the complexity. Again, that’s why I’m still here.
Questions I’m Still Asking
I am left with some questions, naturally:
Theon mentions that he’s a monster, comparing himself to his father, but what kind of monster is he referring to? Does he have an actual beast? Because Tessa also feels something similar wriggling inside of her. So what is she really? Another creature? A Legacy?
And that last chapter? A vampire? A night child? Where is this twist going?
In this last section, she is leaning into his darkness reflecting how scared she was of him and the darkness in the last section. Is this going to come back and bite her in the ass? I feel like every time she makes a step forward, he pushes her two back.
And of course, I stopped us before we got to a juicy bit. Something I’m hoping is good even though I doubt they’re going to get as down and dirty as I’m rooting for. No worries, we still have 160 pages or thereabouts to get those details. Even if we don’t get that in book one, I imagine it’s going to be good. Tense.
Looking for your next fantasy read after Rain of Shadows and Endings? Our July Blood Bound book box is currently available, but this is the last chance to grab it before we begin shipping.
Let me know what you think in the comments below. What are your theories about Theon, Tessa, Luka, and everything happening behind the scenes? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
I’ll see you next week for the final Rain of Shadows and Endings read along discussion.
Until then, happy reading!
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