Mmmmmm this second book delivers. First, Kell and Lila - I love it. The back and forth is there, the pull is between them, but true to themselves, the people they have had to grow to be to survive the lives they were given, the connection is not easy. It's there and it's strong but they both pull it their own way (Lila leaving and Kell's sense of responsibility/personality keeping him from following or looking for her) and the full meeting between the two is still yet to come. That relationship has been well paced and I'm really enjoying it. Rhy and Kell - wonderful story of the deep bonds of brotherhood past, blood or no. And the tension the builds both between them and including the king and queen with the connection of their lives (Rhy's dependent on Kell's) is masterfully written. There is guilt and anger and blame and sorrow and fear from all 4 of them and it is woven together to cause the book to end the way it does so perfectly. Plus, the added secrets of Kell's parentage, that the king and queen clearly know something about, adds a layer of distrust that I hope plays out more. Also, the appearance of Alucard was fun and intriguing, both as Lila's Captain and Rhy's heartbreak....interesting to see the care he pays Rhy at the end. I'd love to see how that plays out with Rhy's responsibilities as future ruler and Alucard's discovery that perhaps is is not ALL rogue... All in all, this was a great character novel. And the suspense of the ending is making me wish I had waited to read this til closer to the next one's publication date (the ending of the first one was much easier on us readers) - though Lila has all my faith as the one person who could save Kell and Rhy and Holland and stop Osaron. The one thing that was a bit iffy for me was the general plot based around the magic competition - not a super original idea - and though it does what it needs to as a platform to get everyone back to Red London and gives Kell and Lila a chance to disguise and dance around each other a bit longer, it was the least inspired piece of the novel for me. Another reviewer wrote that these books sneak up on you, that nothing really happens in the first half or so (in either of them) and yet you are never bored reading. That's where I think the writing of the characters really outweighs the plot here, but that may just be me. No matter what the case is, I'm super looking forward to the final installment of the story!