Thank you for allowing me to read and review this egalley. I was so happy it was fixed so I could read this book.
Please note if you have not read the first book in this series, you will be lost. Also you may see spoilers in this review.
I adore Dawson's writing. This book was no different. It picks up right where the first one left off. Devastation and destruction from the fight at the end of book one, The book is told from the POVs of the same witches: Elle, Theo, and Leonie plus we see some information coming from Luke (not who we thought he was!) and Chinara. And now we have Ciara's POV rather than Nimah since she is in her body. I love the idea of seeing this story from all these points of view, it gives a more grand sweep of what is happening.
Overall the story moves fast. The witches are looking for Dabney Hale, trying to stop him from whatever destruction he is bound to reek on the world. But we also see a new group of witch hunters from Luke's POV and come to find out his background is much more sinister than we could have imagined! So now there's much at stake from several areas.
At first I thought I'd hate Ciara, after all, she did kill Nimah and take her body. But I did find that I rather liked her overall. Plus she has some great growth, realizing her mistakes (though still with some power hungriness to her) and wanted to correct those wrongs. I am was a little surprised at how easily Leonie and Elle were ok with who she was and what happened. They seemed to join with her rather quickly considering what she did but I can also see they may have some forgiveness since part of how she came back was from the death of the previous high priestess who was possessed.
Theo's character also showed immense growth during this book. I love how she comes into herself, figuring out how to function in society as a female. Her friends showing her respect and acceptance. She has many complicated feelings she tries to explore. She's especially worried about her acceptance into a family as she was tossed around to many foster homes and wants to feel she has security in that.
The ending! UGH! I did not see it coming, I will be honest. I was a bit confused, like were all their memories altered about Milo and his past? How was it that no one remembered what had happened to him, including his mother? And why did his dad know? I hope it gets explained better in book 3 because I felt it was a bit of a plot hole even at the end.
And that naked foot, I have a feeling who it is, but don't want to say and I'm chomping at the bit to see in book #3! It was definitely a cliff hanger.
Overall, I think I may have enjoyed this book more than the first! Quite a few new characters and many of the ones we already know. I'm excited for this series to continue!