Definitely gets darker than the first book, but in a way that adds to the story and characters, not just for shock. The romance was cuter and more enjoyable. Pacing was a little weird, especially with three or four POVs. It felt like long build up for a mostly off page battle. I did like actual character development, seeing Max

connect with his troops, but then struggle with what that bond means, and then at the end, choosing that bond over the idea of running

. Same with Tisaanah, who spent book 1 and a good amount of book 2 performing, putting on shows and great displays of power, but by the end

she finally goes to the people and is real and vulnerable with them

. Nura is interesting, idk if I necessarily wanted more time with her, but i wish there was more of A) an emotional impact of her discovering

fey still exist

, B) the change in her strategy to prepare for

the war she saw

, and C) the way

kidnapping and trying to extract powers from fey

impacts her mentally. 

I did really enjoy Aefe's story. It was a bit of a leap in character for her to go from trusting, loving, and compassionate to

someone who murdered Max's whole family and was then confused about why he was upset (as Reshaye)

and then another leap to

sacrifice herself for Tisaanah after one "selfless act" to protect Max, when both of them have done a good number of selfless things across the two books

. Like I know she's been through a LOT, but it did feel a little disjointed. 

I have taken some time to think about this installment in the series and my thoughts are thus:

The magic system is in shambles.  What little of it you understood from the first book is extrapolated on a bit, but there's also some wishy-washy moments where the situation doesn't seem to make sense how things work as they have been presented.  Also, what even are stratagrams really?  They are predominantly used for travel, and binding magic, but then there's a necklace that has some charms with stratagrams that do other things and I'm just so confused by it all.

It honestly felt like this book had three separate endings, but contained only two parts.  It was disjointed and the time and pacing were off.  It was a bit of a slog to get through, especially when we would get reiterations of the same thing.

There was a bit of a murder spree situation where everyone started dying all of a sudden and I don't know if the foreshadowing was adequate or overdone and heavy-handed because I guessed some reveals quite early and it meant that the tension in the situation was lost.

There was a new POV right from the start.  This is one of the things I guessed about from the start and so when the big reveal happened 500+/-ish pages later, I was underwhelmed.  It seemed like it was meant to be a big build up with a bigger pay off but it fell short.

I'm debating not continuing and reading the last book in the series.  The obsession with scent, and eyes/being seen, the bad grammar (so many sentences start with "But" that should not, regardless of whose POV it is), the made up nonsense swear words/exclaimations that are never explained, in addition to real swear words, etc..

At the end of the day, I don't know that I care to find out what happens next.

Edited to add a spoiler because I cannot handle it when books do this with sex scenes:
 

So, Tisaanah had been sparring with Nura, and Max had just returned from battle, so they are both sweaty and gross/grimy/possibly bloody, and I get it, you see your honey bunny for the first time in months after nothing but letters and you immediately want to bone down, but like, bruh...  they put their mouths in places I wouldn't want to without a good soap and rinse.  AND THEN THEY BATHE TOGETHER BUT MAX IS ALL...  EW I DON'T WANT TO MARINATE IN UR GROSS SOUP...  Tisaanah rightfully says it's OUR gross soup, but still...  He didn't have any issues having sex with her and him being hella gross.  Anyways, if there was already the plan to bathe, why not do that step first?  It is not that hard.  And the bath water is described as like dingy grey color...  I'm paraphrasing but I finished this book over a week ago and I just remembered this and it gave me the ick all over again.