ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I'm not quite sure what to say about this one. Not because I have strong, conflicting feelings, but instead quite the opposite. There isn't much to say about this book. It was fine, a decent sequel; though it did suffer from middle-book syndrome quite a bit. The characters developed and there were moments that I enjoyed their growth. Yet, I couldn't find myself caring that much. It seemed that very little happened, even though things were clearly happening. Most of this book focuses on Amani amassing allies, as well as an insight into both she and Maram's personal conflicts. There were moments it was interesting, and moments when it seemed to drag more than a snail carrying years worth of family trauma.

So, yes, I liked it, but I also didn't feel much of anything about it. I enjoyed the political intrigue and angst of the first book a bit more, but this is definitely a sequel that can stand on its own. It just didn't do much for me personally. I'd still recommend it if you enjoyed the first book.