Minor, not explicit spoilers: 
 While I loved the first book, this one got side-tracked in the middle. After the ending in The Book of Ivy which was a major cliffhanger, I was hyped about the sequel. I needed it. However, as I started reading, I stopped. Basically, I lost interest. I waited a lot for this sequel and I got disappointed. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. Just lacking. What happened was that I picked it up, read it, left it in the middle and came back months after to finish this series for once. It got slow at the forest and village. Don't get me wrong, I liked the start, but I felt the ending lacking and predictable (except that scene with the sister, you know what I mean. I wouldn't be able to live with it). 
 I would have liked to know more about Caleb and Ash, more about the parents, Callie, everybody else, except what Ivy was feeling. She made some tough decisions, everyone did, even Bishop (who I don't know why but can't keep imagining him black which makes the book more interesting, may I say). But sometimes I didn't get her (and I tried to be understandable because PTSD and dystopian worlds). Though I liked the relationship between the protagonist. There is no doubt about it and I liked the scene in the kitchen and the one outside with the bucket. 
 Though I didn't enjoy it as much as the first book (one of my favorites) it was still a nice read.