I wavered between three and four stars for this book so many times, but just when I rolled my eyes in annoyance something surprising would happen. So true rating is 3.5 stars.

Overall, a slightly uneven sword and magic series that I'm intrigued to continue.

Spoilers ahead.

I'm hoping with the paring down of the HUGE cast of characters with many deaths (way to GRRM it Rhodes) that the next installments will be a bit easier to follow. My biggest annoyances revolved around Cleo's romance with her body guard and Lucia's magic which is just there all of a sudden and not explained.

Thankfully the body guard is dead and hopefully more magic info in the next book. Also, I'm super tired of the "I'm in love with my sibling, gross I feel terrible, but HEY now found out my sibling isn't related to me by blood, so GOING FOR IT!"