I seriously thought about giving this book a 1 just because it killed me. I feel a little lost. I feel like crying my eyes out because not everything is perfect at the end of this book and it kills me. I understand Ward is going for a more realistic life for the Brother's and there shellens but this book! 
 I was intrigued by the Shadows way back when we really started learning about them. iAm seemed the most likely to win me over but even now I feel I don't know him because Trez kicked down the doors in this book and stated boldly that he was here to devastate us with his sense of romance. Trez fell hard for Selena way back and I remember loving that he'd wait in the foyer just to catch a glimpse of her. 
 (view spoiler)[What really kills me is that Ward not only let's Selena and Trez have a love story but it doesn't end well. I think we are supposed to feel their love from beyond the grave especially with the Fade scene but all this did was kill me. I mean I couldn't even read through the tears. There have been so few books that devastated me and this one has to take the cake. I've read books that ended with the lovers separated (until the next book) but death wasn't the obstacle and while Ward has overcome death before her rule in the past was that Doc Jane hadn't crossed over. Selena was in the Fade. She's lost to us and Trez and apparently Trez feels okay to just support his brother with the new love iAm has found. No. Not okay at all. 
 But having said all that. I still loved the story. I can't say I will be able to read this book again. I think we need a novella that cuts out all of Trez's story and just leaves us the rest so should we want to look back on the other characters we can. (hide spoiler)] 
 Then there is this whole s'Hsibe thing and you keep thinking throughout the book that Trez can't stay with Selena. He can't choose to be with her but then we never did see what the Princess Trez is supposed to mate thinks about all of this which is a great change. 
 But probably some of the best things about this book is Assail's choices, Layla and Xcor's push and pull, and Rhage's unease that is clearly going to come to something in the next book called THE BEAST (ah remember his Beast). 
 And while I have to say this is probably my least favorite and my favorite all at once... I don't know that I could read it again. I've thought about getting the audio and listening to it but if I cry while putting on makeup in the morning... Ward will make me late to work. 
 I adore this series and even if at times Ward disappoints me, it is more a sense that life is less fair for our lovely Brotherhood rather than Ward is trying to deliberately stab us in the heart with one of those Black Daggers. 
 While these are vampire stories, I've always felt the Brother's could be anything. Vampire is just what they are labeled but their story never struck me as just a vampire story which is yet another reason why I love Ward's tale.