Tears. Real, watery-eyed, sniffly-nosed, wobbly-lipped tears.

That’s what book two reduced me to.

While I’d say this installment is a little weaker overall compared to book one, it delivers some incredibly impactful moments—ones that hit hard in ways you might not expect.

The story picks up after the explosive ending of the first book, diving into some massive developments. The characters face serious hardships and are forced to actively change how they interact with each other to make things work. I adored the growth, both in their relationships and in their ability to understand and forgive themselves.

I’m still hopelessly in love with a certain someone, and I’m dying to know which way other readers lean.

The world remains fascinating, the plot is engaging, and the characters? Absolutely wrecked—in all the best and most tragic ways. I did manage to predict the twists with almost scary accuracy during my buddy read, but even so, the story still moved me deeply.

If you’re down for some darkness and depravity, I highly recommend giving this duology a try.