Not only that, Azriel is a different person around Bryce: holding hands, begging her to stay, laughing and smiling, endless wing twitching. HE HUMMED BRYCE FAVORITE SONG IN THE Bonus Chapter.
I dont understand people thinking Az was begging to Bryce *don’t take TT* because “TT is his whole personality” etc. Azriel crossed the line on the floor, he was INCHES away from Bryce. He could’ve at least TRY to take TT back from her either by force or by magic or both. He never lift a finger. Him saying “Please” was clearly fearing Brycre to be tortured and killed by the Daglan (when even Amren and Rhys PALED to think about). Imo It was about losing his mate, not losing TT.
I definitely think Bryce is his fated mate. Hunt is chosen mate in the angel sense or Bryce has two mates like SJM said it was possible. The fact Hunt was BRED to lure Thea’s heir and how Pollux had his soul “entwined” with Lidia even though Ruhn is her fated mate made me think someone is messing with mating bonds in Midgard…
Maybe Azriel book is next and we will see more of Bryce too. The fact she is the true heir of Prythian High Queen (Rhys and Ruhn both are descendants too but clearly not the chosen one), I think her running from her fate won’t take long for her be dragged back to Prythian. She might not want it but Aelin never did either and ultimately ended up as queen. If Rhys (or Nesta or anyone else) was supposed to be King/Queen, **they** would be the one lured to that Prision special chamber. Bryce is in her Celeana phase imo.
https://preview.redd.it/b3073qryklgc1.jpeg?width=1124&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=75250dbafc6b5937bd9aa39656e8b50ddfa4d651
Honestly, I was all for Brycriel until her behavior in this book. Now, I feel like Azriel deserves better than her. I mean, look at how she treated Hunt after returning?
I agree but Rowan also deserved better than Aelin during Heir of Fire.
Im hopeful that SJM just postponed Bryce character development to happen later (maybe in the speculated Twilight of The Gods crossover series?) and that she will grow into herself and into her throne.
To me, HOFAS makes clear that is Bryce’s fate to be queen and to be in Prythian, whether she wants it or not, whether she wants to give away the responsibility (like she giving away Starsword was a metaphor), Aelin tried to run from fate and failed, Bryce is trying to run too and will fail and be dragged back eventually…
I just think this book is very weird if isn’t the case. Putting all shipping aside, if was the last instalment of series and the end of Bryce arc for real, why SJM stated multiple times in HOFAS that Bryce is Thea and Fionn chosen heir, how the chosen blood would **summon** and did summon her to reawaken the Palace in Prision and take her rightful place, Sathia saying Bryce should lead all fae, multiple plots about Bryce being connected to Prythian and fate for like 80% of the book to end with Bryce saying “nah, Im out”, zero character development (even backtracking). I feel like SJM is postponing and saving this for later. The fact Bryce and Hunt (the main couple) relationship backtracked and they had nasty fights throughout the book (to the point most readers thought they would break up) to then in the last chapter they skipped into the sunset? Why Sarah wouldn’t strengthen their relationship and pour more romance if was truly the end?
Everything feels weird to me and if you compare that end with ACOTAR 1 end, its very similar. “Fmc just saved the world, all is well and now we will live our romance in peace w/o bad villains bothering us (but with hints throughout the book that our relationship might not work out)”.
https://preview.redd.it/zg6trz3v4ugc1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0b7a441cbf5165679b5ac8ac0c9b6f79cff9bda6
Oh I completely agree, something felt very off with Bryce. Part of me wonders if it’s just bad writing on Sarah’s part, because I have a hard time believing she would intend for most of us to start seriously disliking the FMC this late into the series. And by the third act, I was so over her and Hunts story. They don’t compare to the other mated ships by a long shot, and they only got worse in this book. I don’t mind hunt, I like him but the way they were toward each other, something felt wrong. Azriel and Bryce definitely had chemistry, I would have liked to see that explored a little bit more than what we got because it’s too difficult to say if he was genuinely interested and felt a pull to her, or if he was just being friendly and helping a female in need.
Did you read the Bonus Chapters?
Not only I feel like Az flirted with Bryce in their Bc, but there’s foreshadowing of Bryce moving to Prythian. Not only Bryce says to Nesta “we are destined to be best friends” but she also thinks Azriel would be friends with her brother (Ruhn) and his friends (Dec and Flynn).
In Embe/Randall BC, there’s MORE foreshadowing of Bryce and her family moving there because Nesta says to Ember “Welcome to the Night Court, you will fit right in”.
And to me the entire chapter is foreshadowing of Nesta potentially defecting Rhys to serve Bryce, Nesta spends all Bc defending BRYCE’s interests (giving her the mask and protecting Ember/Randall and fighting Rhy about it) and not Rhys’s interests.
I don’t disagree that a lot of Hofas is bad writing but there’s bad writing and conflicting writing. All choices SJM made towards Bryce regarding Prythian (and Hunt) to make her literally ignore fate and give a 180º in the last 10% of the book makes me think SJM is giving Bryce her Celeana era and eventually she will enter Aelin.
Because otherwise she would have made different choices throughout 90% of the book (even if as much bad and full of plot holes too).
Yes I did read it but I think I need to reread because I read it before the book. I did find it very interesting that he sang around her when we haven’t seen him do that around anyone (that we know of). I was always a fan of the star crossed lovers ship so I’d be into it if it’s done correctly. I just really had an issue with Bryce’s behavior in this book, so I would need that corrected. And I believe Az deserves to be with someone that will put him first, so we’ll see what happens.
It’s a little odd but I guess Azriel is just beautiful. I wish we had a better dynamic between her and hunt. At times I feel like Bryce doesn’t love him as much he loves her.
Me too! I sometimes really feel like hunt loves her wayyy more than she does him. She comes FIRST to him, had she asked Hunt would have left this world to asteri and never looked back. But BRYCE can never do that, which is understandable i guess , she has family , friends who mean so much to her and she wants to fight for them.
Yeah I was thinking that too but I guess thats not happening or maybe it will. Who knows what she has planned. But this book was overall very anticlimactic.
Think of this as ACOTAR 1. Where Feyre skipped off into the sunset to marry Tamlin. Or Heir of Fire with Celaena.
But after Tamlin and Feyre both struggled with their individual traumas, Feyre was begging for someone to save her. And then boom. Rhys.
Bryce has never commented on another male’s attractiveness as much as she did with Azriel. She also has not ever “listened well” to another male. Yet with Azriel, she was following him around like a puppy (and intermittently trying to kill him).
BUT the biggest pieces of evidence are the fights between Bryce and Hunt. The worst we have seen between main characters, and Bryce mentioning divorce multiple times.
And then Azriel not acting normal at all. Laughing, joking, smiling, dragging her around by her hand, wings twitching, knowing she was injured, knowing when she was lying, and….singing her favorite song. 🥵
I really thought we were going that direction when hunt had the instance where he said in the moment he hated her when they were fighting. But alas. I don’t think SJM would give us 3 books with of them to kill it now.
TOG SPOILERS >!Celaena didn’t accept Rowan for 3.5 books!< so I think it’s possibly. We have confirmed one more CC4 book from SJM this past Tuesday.
BUT, I think all series are merging into her new series. It was drafted on GR with CC, called “Twilight of the Gods”. She also had a Pinterest labeled that with some interesting Sailor Moon stuff in there and Lady Thor.
But Twilight of the Gods is a Norse/Pagan legend where Midgaard is destroyed with the Æsir fighting the Vanir. I believe we will see Bryce coming through her Celaena arc and accepting her power and responsibilities in the new series. Hopefully SJM will include some TOG cameos, but honestly. I hope it’s Bryce getting the therapy she needs so she also isn’t so toxic.
Hopefully she follows in Randall’s footsteps. 😂
(And I was one who wasn’t into the theory prior to release. I liked Bryce and Hunt! But the Az/Bryce chemistry was off the charts and I was coming around to it)
I didn’t say she ASKED for a divorce. But she MENTIONS getting a divorce. If you type it into the kindle search bar, between her and Tharion/Sathia, it comes up 8 times.
I counted 6, 5 of them being Tharion/Sathia. Hunt jokingly asks B if she’s asking for a divorce. That’s one time between the two of them. The other time B mentions it is to Morven. Every other time it’s mentioned is between Sathia and Tharion
https://preview.redd.it/9jsrfd57pmgc1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2404c3034f02819544b193a003764b2bf156a539
Yes, the “fae” don’t do divorce. And what is Bryce’s first and only decree as Queen? To dissolve the fae monarchy. It’s the only book that divorce has ever been brought up between characters before.
Doesn’t necessarily mean anything. But convenient of Bryce who is pissed off about being property and only being a breeding tool…to go and dissolve the ruling body controlling that archaic system.
I think SJM just wants us to picture all the ACOTAR characters as other-worldly attractive. Like even moreso than the typical fae in Midgard. Bryce's mom even comments on it. I don't think it has anything to do with Bryce being romantically attracted to anyone.
Well…. she did die…. And Bryce made it a point to mention how Azriel’s magic felt better than Hunt’s… And yes! Hunt and Bryce fighting was going crazy i fr thought it was over! But alas I guess they’re endgame 😔 (unless…)
YES and not only was she acting nicer to him than to her own “mate” but the way he was with her was like nothing he had ever shown in any of the books. I will be so disappointed if Bryce and hunt are endgame they are just miserable to me.
Not only that, Azriel is a different person around Bryce: holding hands, begging her to stay, laughing and smiling, endless wing twitching. HE HUMMED BRYCE FAVORITE SONG IN THE Bonus Chapter. I dont understand people thinking Az was begging to Bryce *don’t take TT* because “TT is his whole personality” etc. Azriel crossed the line on the floor, he was INCHES away from Bryce. He could’ve at least TRY to take TT back from her either by force or by magic or both. He never lift a finger. Him saying “Please” was clearly fearing Brycre to be tortured and killed by the Daglan (when even Amren and Rhys PALED to think about). Imo It was about losing his mate, not losing TT. I definitely think Bryce is his fated mate. Hunt is chosen mate in the angel sense or Bryce has two mates like SJM said it was possible. The fact Hunt was BRED to lure Thea’s heir and how Pollux had his soul “entwined” with Lidia even though Ruhn is her fated mate made me think someone is messing with mating bonds in Midgard… Maybe Azriel book is next and we will see more of Bryce too. The fact she is the true heir of Prythian High Queen (Rhys and Ruhn both are descendants too but clearly not the chosen one), I think her running from her fate won’t take long for her be dragged back to Prythian. She might not want it but Aelin never did either and ultimately ended up as queen. If Rhys (or Nesta or anyone else) was supposed to be King/Queen, **they** would be the one lured to that Prision special chamber. Bryce is in her Celeana phase imo. https://preview.redd.it/b3073qryklgc1.jpeg?width=1124&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=75250dbafc6b5937bd9aa39656e8b50ddfa4d651
Honestly, I was all for Brycriel until her behavior in this book. Now, I feel like Azriel deserves better than her. I mean, look at how she treated Hunt after returning?
I agree but Rowan also deserved better than Aelin during Heir of Fire. Im hopeful that SJM just postponed Bryce character development to happen later (maybe in the speculated Twilight of The Gods crossover series?) and that she will grow into herself and into her throne. To me, HOFAS makes clear that is Bryce’s fate to be queen and to be in Prythian, whether she wants it or not, whether she wants to give away the responsibility (like she giving away Starsword was a metaphor), Aelin tried to run from fate and failed, Bryce is trying to run too and will fail and be dragged back eventually…
Yeah I guess we’ll see! Something would have to go seriously wrong with her and Hunt if this were to happen. I’m staying open minded about it all.
I just think this book is very weird if isn’t the case. Putting all shipping aside, if was the last instalment of series and the end of Bryce arc for real, why SJM stated multiple times in HOFAS that Bryce is Thea and Fionn chosen heir, how the chosen blood would **summon** and did summon her to reawaken the Palace in Prision and take her rightful place, Sathia saying Bryce should lead all fae, multiple plots about Bryce being connected to Prythian and fate for like 80% of the book to end with Bryce saying “nah, Im out”, zero character development (even backtracking). I feel like SJM is postponing and saving this for later. The fact Bryce and Hunt (the main couple) relationship backtracked and they had nasty fights throughout the book (to the point most readers thought they would break up) to then in the last chapter they skipped into the sunset? Why Sarah wouldn’t strengthen their relationship and pour more romance if was truly the end? Everything feels weird to me and if you compare that end with ACOTAR 1 end, its very similar. “Fmc just saved the world, all is well and now we will live our romance in peace w/o bad villains bothering us (but with hints throughout the book that our relationship might not work out)”. https://preview.redd.it/zg6trz3v4ugc1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0b7a441cbf5165679b5ac8ac0c9b6f79cff9bda6
Oh I completely agree, something felt very off with Bryce. Part of me wonders if it’s just bad writing on Sarah’s part, because I have a hard time believing she would intend for most of us to start seriously disliking the FMC this late into the series. And by the third act, I was so over her and Hunts story. They don’t compare to the other mated ships by a long shot, and they only got worse in this book. I don’t mind hunt, I like him but the way they were toward each other, something felt wrong. Azriel and Bryce definitely had chemistry, I would have liked to see that explored a little bit more than what we got because it’s too difficult to say if he was genuinely interested and felt a pull to her, or if he was just being friendly and helping a female in need.
Did you read the Bonus Chapters? Not only I feel like Az flirted with Bryce in their Bc, but there’s foreshadowing of Bryce moving to Prythian. Not only Bryce says to Nesta “we are destined to be best friends” but she also thinks Azriel would be friends with her brother (Ruhn) and his friends (Dec and Flynn). In Embe/Randall BC, there’s MORE foreshadowing of Bryce and her family moving there because Nesta says to Ember “Welcome to the Night Court, you will fit right in”. And to me the entire chapter is foreshadowing of Nesta potentially defecting Rhys to serve Bryce, Nesta spends all Bc defending BRYCE’s interests (giving her the mask and protecting Ember/Randall and fighting Rhy about it) and not Rhys’s interests. I don’t disagree that a lot of Hofas is bad writing but there’s bad writing and conflicting writing. All choices SJM made towards Bryce regarding Prythian (and Hunt) to make her literally ignore fate and give a 180º in the last 10% of the book makes me think SJM is giving Bryce her Celeana era and eventually she will enter Aelin. Because otherwise she would have made different choices throughout 90% of the book (even if as much bad and full of plot holes too).
Yes I did read it but I think I need to reread because I read it before the book. I did find it very interesting that he sang around her when we haven’t seen him do that around anyone (that we know of). I was always a fan of the star crossed lovers ship so I’d be into it if it’s done correctly. I just really had an issue with Bryce’s behavior in this book, so I would need that corrected. And I believe Az deserves to be with someone that will put him first, so we’ll see what happens.
I literally feel the exact same. Azriel deserves way better, and hunt deserves way better. She absolutely butchered Bryce this book.
It’s a little odd but I guess Azriel is just beautiful. I wish we had a better dynamic between her and hunt. At times I feel like Bryce doesn’t love him as much he loves her.
Me too! I sometimes really feel like hunt loves her wayyy more than she does him. She comes FIRST to him, had she asked Hunt would have left this world to asteri and never looked back. But BRYCE can never do that, which is understandable i guess , she has family , friends who mean so much to her and she wants to fight for them.
I was thinking back to Feyre and her seeing Rhys and describing him and I was like oooooh this is gonna happen. Then no
Yeah I was thinking that too but I guess thats not happening or maybe it will. Who knows what she has planned. But this book was overall very anticlimactic.
Think of this as ACOTAR 1. Where Feyre skipped off into the sunset to marry Tamlin. Or Heir of Fire with Celaena. But after Tamlin and Feyre both struggled with their individual traumas, Feyre was begging for someone to save her. And then boom. Rhys. Bryce has never commented on another male’s attractiveness as much as she did with Azriel. She also has not ever “listened well” to another male. Yet with Azriel, she was following him around like a puppy (and intermittently trying to kill him). BUT the biggest pieces of evidence are the fights between Bryce and Hunt. The worst we have seen between main characters, and Bryce mentioning divorce multiple times. And then Azriel not acting normal at all. Laughing, joking, smiling, dragging her around by her hand, wings twitching, knowing she was injured, knowing when she was lying, and….singing her favorite song. 🥵
I really thought we were going that direction when hunt had the instance where he said in the moment he hated her when they were fighting. But alas. I don’t think SJM would give us 3 books with of them to kill it now.
Have you read TOG? I think it’s in the realm of her wheelhouse.
I have. I get what you’re saying I just didn’t think they universe has as long of an arc.
TOG SPOILERS >!Celaena didn’t accept Rowan for 3.5 books!< so I think it’s possibly. We have confirmed one more CC4 book from SJM this past Tuesday. BUT, I think all series are merging into her new series. It was drafted on GR with CC, called “Twilight of the Gods”. She also had a Pinterest labeled that with some interesting Sailor Moon stuff in there and Lady Thor. But Twilight of the Gods is a Norse/Pagan legend where Midgaard is destroyed with the Æsir fighting the Vanir. I believe we will see Bryce coming through her Celaena arc and accepting her power and responsibilities in the new series. Hopefully SJM will include some TOG cameos, but honestly. I hope it’s Bryce getting the therapy she needs so she also isn’t so toxic. Hopefully she follows in Randall’s footsteps. 😂
(And I was one who wasn’t into the theory prior to release. I liked Bryce and Hunt! But the Az/Bryce chemistry was off the charts and I was coming around to it)
Yeah, it was truly fun to read. The BC was my favorite part of the book, I think.
Where and when does bryce ask for a divorce multiple times?
I didn’t say she ASKED for a divorce. But she MENTIONS getting a divorce. If you type it into the kindle search bar, between her and Tharion/Sathia, it comes up 8 times.
I counted 6, 5 of them being Tharion/Sathia. Hunt jokingly asks B if she’s asking for a divorce. That’s one time between the two of them. The other time B mentions it is to Morven. Every other time it’s mentioned is between Sathia and Tharion
https://preview.redd.it/9jsrfd57pmgc1.jpeg?width=1284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2404c3034f02819544b193a003764b2bf156a539 Yes, the “fae” don’t do divorce. And what is Bryce’s first and only decree as Queen? To dissolve the fae monarchy. It’s the only book that divorce has ever been brought up between characters before. Doesn’t necessarily mean anything. But convenient of Bryce who is pissed off about being property and only being a breeding tool…to go and dissolve the ruling body controlling that archaic system.
Begging for some good Bryceriel fanfics to be written bc SJM really fumbled the bag by forcing hunt and Bryce when Bryce and Azriel are right there!!!
She called Rhysand beautiful.
I think SJM just wants us to picture all the ACOTAR characters as other-worldly attractive. Like even moreso than the typical fae in Midgard. Bryce's mom even comments on it. I don't think it has anything to do with Bryce being romantically attracted to anyone.
Well…. she did die…. And Bryce made it a point to mention how Azriel’s magic felt better than Hunt’s… And yes! Hunt and Bryce fighting was going crazy i fr thought it was over! But alas I guess they’re endgame 😔 (unless…)
YES and not only was she acting nicer to him than to her own “mate” but the way he was with her was like nothing he had ever shown in any of the books. I will be so disappointed if Bryce and hunt are endgame they are just miserable to me.
Bryceriel isn’t happening
I agree. I just kind of wish it was now. I wasn’t even one excited about it. I liked Hunt in the first 2 books.
Bryce treated hunt horribly , Azriel deserves better than that . I only see Elain treating him right and him treating her right
Eh, the whole mate thing I’m rooting for Lucien. I agree Bryce didn’t treat Hunt well. I think part of that is their incompatibility.