'I will not let this world fall.' 
 Damn, this book. Often I find that sequels don't match the first book in quality, but I enjoyed this probably just as much as Snow like Ashes. 
 I love Meira so much; she's strong, kind and, most importantly, real. She makes mistakes, acts rashly and has to pay the consequences, and learns about herself the more she does. Some of the other characters took bigger roles in this book, and new people were introduced, some I liked, others... Not so much. I love both Theron and Mather so much! 
 The amount of plot twists amazed me- I gasped at nearly every page in the last few chapters! The story took so many turns I didn't expect, and make me so eager for the next book. 
 The story was a bit slow at times, and although I love Meira her crisis of 'should I be a soldier or a queen?' got annoying at times. I would probably have given it 4 stars, but the last quarter or so really brought it up for me. Overall, an amazing book!