Exodus (The Ravenhood, 2)
Rating: 5 Stars
"We love rainy days, don't we baby?"
It's a ghost town, this place that haunts me, the one that made me. It's clear to me that I'll never outgrow Triple Falls or outlive the time I spent here. I can still feel them all, my boys of summer. Even when I'd sensed the danger, I gave in. I didn't heed a single warning. I let my sickness, my love, both rule and ruin me. I played my part, eyes wide open, tempting fate until it delivered. There was never going to be an escape. All of us are to blame for what happened. All of us serving our own sentences. We were careless and reckless, thinking our youth made us indestructible, exempt from our sins, and it cost us all. I'm done pretending I didn't leave the largest part of me between these hills and valleys, between the sea of trees that hold my secrets. It's the reason I'm back. To make peace with my fate. And if I can't grieve enough to cure myself in my time here, I'll remain sick. That will be my curse. But it's time to confess, to myself more so than any other, that I'd hindered my chances because of the way I was built and because of the men who built me. At this point, I just want to make peace with who I am, no matter what ending I get. Because I can no longer live a lie.
The ending of Flock left me with so many questions that I needed answers too so I dove into this book; even knowing that emotional devastation was sure to happen. I mean the way Flock was written made it clear this book was going to have some moment that changed everything. What I didn't expect was the number of moments that changed everything. I didn't expect the way this book drew me in, made me love characters and then broke my heart over and over again. I didn't anticipate that I would stay up until 4 AM just to finish. I didn't anticipate a moment so intense and unexpected, until it was happening, that I would have to set the book down and mourn before I could keep going.
Yet, that's what this book did. It emotionally wrecked me and I honestly don't think I will ever recover. Like ever. I enjoyed all the highs and despised all the lows. Yet, like the glutton for punishment that I am... I couldn't stop reading... even when I saw the writing on the wall... and things took a dramatic shift... even when everything changed... I had to keep going. I needed to know what became of Cecelia and her boys of summer. I'm honestly still not okay; but like in the best way.
"Loving you is way too expensive, and I'm not paying for it another minute. You've stolen enough from me, the rest I let you take, and you can fucking keep it."
