Usually, the middle book of a series is the weakest of the bunch, but I really enjoyed this book. Unlike a lot of books that book orders are action, politics, and then action again, this series has been mainly politics, so there wasn't this tone shift when this book was more politics.

Kestrel is quickly becoming one of my favorite characters. Her struggles to love her father and follow her heart has been so intriguing. I love the fact that her strength isn't all fighting-related. So many authors take "strong female character" and make it mean they are actually strong and hold their own in a fight. Instead, she is smart. She tries to think 3 moves ahead of everyone else, even though she fails. Her heart is always in the right place. I just really enjoy her journey, and the end of this book makes me want to dive right into the next book.

This series has been such a wonderful surprise and I'm so happy I picked it up.