I really truly adore this duology. Blood Like Magic ended with Voya and Keis's relationship forever changed, and with Voya taking on the mantle of matriarch. 

The one thing that frustrates me but also makes me like Voya is how messy she is and the mistakes she makes when she tries to take responsibility and authority. Sometimes I wanted to shake her and say "why are you doing this, just stop" or "that's the wrong move!" and other times I was thinking "she's just a kid and this is waaay too much responsibility for one person". Her doubts about not being enough, her family not believing in her/not feeling confident in her ability to lead them was so relatable. Despite her grandma picking her for this position, she still didn't feel like she deserved it or could do it. Voya's family is just as messy as she is, and they did eventually step up and recognize their faults, which was nice to see. I think what I love about this book is how no one is perfect and it more accurately depicts what a typical family is truly like. You can't really always forgive and forget past mistakes or decisions, but you can work to change in the present and future. I liked seeing Voya call herself out on her selfish decisions, but I also liked it when her family owned up to their mistakes and faults. It was kind of painful and sad, but really well done. 

This book, like the first one, feels kind of long, but I think pacing wise was slightly better than Blood Like Magic. There were scenes every few chapters that really kept me wanting to read more and something was always happening. There were so many things I didn't expect, and some things I figured out right before it was revealed. 

Voya's dream of creating a council and community for witches where everyone cares for each other instead of just looking out for themselves is a huge mood for me, especially as someone still taking covid and airborne precautions unlike the rest of the world. The dream of having a community where people care about everyone instead of themselves seems so farfetched right now as we watch people ignore science and continue to fall towards fascism, yet claiming to be part of the "resistance" which doesn't somehow include caring about your health and the health of the people around you. It's frustrating to watch, but maybe it's not impossible to dream of forming a community one day.

The last chapter of this book was so bittersweet, but heartwarming. I almost even cried. A perfect conclusion to this duology. 

4.5/5 stars