3.5 stars.

Potential trigger warning for anyone who is suffering from anxiety due to the current global Covid outbreak, this story focuses very much on a plague that has no cure.

I love dark, gothic stories especially ones that focus on female necromancers. I really enjoyed the alchemical essence to the story, and Nedra's character development. I will say I find Grey completely unnecessary to this story, as to why only 3.5 star's not the full 4, I feel their romance happened so swiftly and held no substance at all. It didn't bring anything to the story, it was some nice fluff to lighten up the dark overtone, but as it lacked any depth it just seemed a tad pointless.
I feel that I would have loved it more if it had focused on the sister's connection with one another, and more about the other characters such as the Emperor and the Governor.

Overall though it was a quick read that filled my need for some darkness. and the suspenseful ending does make me want to pick up the sequel, I'm just not interested in Grey at all.