This series earned all 5 of those stars. It took Arin and Kestral forever to get together, but it had a lot to do with their circumstances and wasn't for stupid reasons. I also think that the struggles they faced, especially in this book, made the relationship so much more satisfying once it was established. Roshar ended up being one of my favorite characters in the series in general. He had snarky humor, but still acted within his political interests, which is what I would expect from anyone in his position. He was also a really good friend to Arin and didn't have any qualms about teasing him and Kestral. I'm glad that Rutkoski didn't go overboard with Kestral losing her memory. A lot of times authors can let tropes get out of hand, but the author is great at using tropes in creative ways. The way Arin and Kestral grew back together was sweet and well paced. It didn't feel rushed at all and was realistic. The ending of the book definitely took the cake, though. Kestral used a game of bite and sting to poison the captain. That was so left field I didn't see it coming, but it was so intelligent and in character for Kestral. I do think it's a shame Jess and Kestral weren't able to rekindle their friendship, but in any case I think Jess is the losing party. I think it was a good way to show that war can change relationships, sometimes permanently. This is officially one of my favorite series of the year. I hope to read more books by Marie Rutkoski in the future because this was a super fun ride!