okay, I guess I really sucked at writing reviews for these books when I reread them a couple years ago.

This book was definitely more intense and fast-paced. I felt like a lot more happened compared to the first book, and I actually really enjoyed the duels and battle scenes we got. Tammy has a way of writing action that makes it easy to picture in your head and entertaining and engaging to read.

My only complaint, like most people, are the time jumps. It's just confusing to keep track of everything since we're really only told time is passing through seasons, and after a while all the seasons start to blend together and you forget how old Alanna is. I really wish we could have gotten clearer chapter headings that stated what year Alanna was in as a squire, and also the season. It would have made it a whole lot easier to keep track of events in my head.

This series really does read as spoken narrative. There are parts where things are summarized so quickly or brushed over and it's almost kind of funny. The Battle of the River Drell sort of just ends in one paragraph and I actually laughed when I read it because it was over so quick.

We start to see the more toxic side of Jon in this one. He's just so controlling and moody and jealous. He pushes Alanna to go to parties, and then gets mad when she talks to Raoul or Gary or when she dances with other women (which he makes her do in the first place). And he's also so possessive, saying how they belong together and how she's his.

Alanna definitely seems very confused in this book about what she wants relationship-wise. She doesn't want to fall in love, yet everyone sort of pushes her towards it, until she ends up trying it out. It's really hard to say if she actually wanted any of this, and how much is natural desire/curiosity versus actual attraction. I'd say there's an argument for Alanna being aromantic even. It goes to show how much things haven't really changed since this book was published. The push for romance and for characters ending up in a relationship is still there, though we do get to see Alanna go off to find an adventure in the end, putting her career as a priority over everything else.

I'll admit, not super excited to read the next book, but I'm on a roll and we're going to finish this series so we can get to the others