It's still keeping me tightly attentive. Second books in trilogies often start to cause the series to lose some steam. Not the case here. Nope. This one...I thought I had it somewhat figured out. I thought I knew what was coming. I was wrong. And it was great. Barreling into book number three...

Wow. Seriously. Wow. This one was monumental. It is incredibly honest and raw, addressing a very troublesome issue in current events and culture. Thomas does not shy away from realism. It makes for some occasionally uncomfortable reading, but it is oh so worth it. I was hesitant at first and it took me a few pages to really be okay with what I was reading...this one definitely fits the diverse reads category for me. However, once I got over my own issues, I could NOT put this down. This book is a very powerful narrative on a sensitive topic and I think that Thomas handles it fantastically. She doesn't make things overly pretty...doesn't make it some sort of fantasy outcome. She treats it as you would expect things to happen in real life. I can't say enough good about this book. Everyone should read this one.

I kind of kick myself for putting this book off as long as I did. It was awesome! I had totally forgotten the premise when I picked it up and I think that made it even better. I had no idea what I was in for and it was a great ride. There was more action than I expected and a good blend of tension and humor.

This was a really fun read with high energy and the BEST flippant protagonist. I freaking loved Monty. He's just a fantastic rakish character. He is snappy and full of personality. Not to mention that the narration from his point of view is just right for the story. His relationship with Percy is a great balance of adorable and agonizing, adding another layer to an already interesting plot. Monty's character does a decent amount of growth through the plot, but remains a realistic trajectory given the time frame. However...I would definitely enjoy a continuation of the progression.

The story itself has great historical content, a good amount of queer rep, and addresses racism in a way that applies to current culture, but also reflects historical fact. All in all, a great read and I'm looking forward to the rest of the series.

I loved this book so much. The dual narrative and dual timelines weave together flawlessly and the characters are so incredibly distinct. I was completely wrapped up in the story and felt truly invested in nearly everything going on.

I enjoy historical fiction, but this was such a unique read for me. The war is present in the narrative, but it's more of an outside force. It's obvious and definitely plays a part in why the entire book actually exists, but the focus was SO ingrained in the characters that it was easy to let that fade somewhat into the background. It was an interesting blend, but it was a good thing. I think this serves to make the book more accessible for those who maybe want to try historical fiction, but shy away from "wartime" novels.

The characters were amazing. Eve is a total badass and I adored her. She is so dynamic and such a factor of her experience and I loved every little bit of her. The inclusion of the stammer (taken from the author's husband's life experience) was a brilliant touch and made her even more unique and marvelous. The growth that is seen in Charlie is also great and I love that the female characters in the book are so incredibly strong.

I can easily say that this is among my favorite historical fiction reads of all time. So much good writing and good story and just fantastic experience in these pages!

This book was WAY more than I expected! YA sci-fi that gave me a bit of a Hunger Games feel. It's intriguing and well thought out. It has great character building and a fantastic dystopian feel. It was a quick read for me since I didn't want to put it down. There was a little bit of predictability for me in this one, but I didn't mind...it just worked for me. I will be absolutely picking up the sequel soon.

I'm calling it now. This is going to be in my top reads for this year. I loved this book so freaking much! Laini Taylor's writing is beautiful and gripping. I get sucked right in. It is so wonderfully lyrical and makes everything feel like it has some kind of dreamlike quality to it. The story just floats and feels unavoidably connecting. This is what I commonly refer to as a "huggable book"--one that I need to be able to have and love forever.

The character development and interactions nearly had me in tears. Lazlo and Sarai are both such great characters. Lazlo is so gentle and yet so brilliant. He manages to balance being amazingly decent to all those around him (regardless of how they treat him in return) with a sheer determination and will that are unbending. He is so focused on his goals, yet so aware and understanding of his surroundings. He is genuine and wonderful and such a little cinnamon roll of a protagonist.

Sarai I adored as well, though admittedly not quite as much as Lazlo. She is innocent, but at the same time understands the balance of the two world better than any of the other characters presented. She is compassionate and willing to admit that she does not yet know or understand everything. She is able to consider the situation from the viewpoints of others and truly wishes for a balance. She is a great teenage protagonist.

The plot was continuously interesting and peppered with new pieces of understanding in a stealthy, masterful way. Things just slip in quietly in small increments and then effectively take everything you thought you knew and twist it into knots. I was constantly on the edge of my seat both excited and apprehensive about where things would go.

The world is beautiful, curious, and unique (in true Laini Taylor fashion). I loved so much of it. There is a masterful balance of light and dark and the use of grand metaphor is marvelous. The fairytale quality of the narrative and the city of Weep also just had me swooning. Magical indeed.

The pacing did have some weak moments and inconsistencies, but these felt negligible. Additionally, instalove usually drives me crazy and turns me off of a story in a fairly big way. But something about this matchup just felt right. I was rooting for it. Rarely do I feel a case of OTP syndrome, but this one...yep. Nailed it.

Also, can I just address the use of relevant social constructs? Placing two races inherently at odds based solely on looks and judging others by the sins of their ancestors speak to such grander and more powerful messages. This is somehow subtlely, but at once also obviously done that it just seeps into your soul. Gah. I loved this book.

I'm usually terrible about continuing a series in a timely fashion, but this one I am chomping at the bit for. I don't know that I'll be able to avoid sliding Muse of Nightmares into my already burgeoning TBR for very long.

I stayed up way to late to finish this one. I just couldn't let it go. It was a great wrap up to the trilogy. A lot of series fade out in the end, stop short, or just don't have the same oomph as the beginning. This is not one of those cases. There was a lot of creativity and power in this book. The characters continue to be intriguing and the narrative just had me hooked. Riggs is a fantastic author. His books have been well-written and unpretentious. Hopefully he will continue to write and there will be more of his impressive imagination to enjoy.

I loved this book! I'm a big fan of magic and magic school type settings, so this was already earning stars before I had it in my hands. The characters are quirky and fun and the world is interesting...a bit of a Hunger Games flavor added to the magic school trope. AND a good chunk of it takes place in a hotel, which is just another checkbox on the "things I like in my books" list.

Yes, this is going to get compared to Harry Potter. Because apparently any fantasy book published after the 90s with middle grade or YA appropriate characters that involves magic, magical training, or a school gets compared to Harry Potter. But this book totally stands on its own. In fact, for those not wanting to support J.K. Rowling due to her commentary on personal opinions over the past few years, would be well served by jumping into this series instead. And if you have read HP and loved it, then you also should read this.

The characters are a lot of fun and the trials are great both in creativity and suspense. There are a lot of fun little twists and turns that kept the plot moving super fast and I did not want to put the book down. In fact, this was a late night binge read and I'd do it all over again despite the loss of sleep. I'm ready to grab the next in the series and read more.