This is one of those books where I just keep reading parts of it over and over because I'm not ready to let it go. Even better than the first! I'm so glad I didn't read Siege and Storm earlier because the wait for June 17 is long enough as it is! 
 TEAM ANYONE-BUT-MAL (and really loving Nikolai) 
 I really, really didn't like Mal in this one. He doesn't accept Alina for who she is, and the Darkling is right--Mal doesn't understand her or want what's best for her. He just wants her back the way she was. For YEARS he never even took notice of her in a romantic way, and now that she's powerful and can save thousands of lives, he wants her to be common again with him and walk away from it all. He could be a grounding force for Alina--her support, the person who keeps her sane--but instead he demands she go back to being unnoticed and powerless or not have him at all. Why won't he let her be who she should be? 
 To sum up Alina and Mal, in the words of Nikolai: "You know, for two people with a love eternal, you're awfully insecure."