I'm only going to touch briefly on this book, purely because I can't quite put my finger on what it is about this series that has me hooked. This sequel further expanded the world and brought in some new characters, all of which I enjoyed immensely. This series is definitely character driven, and after finishing the first book and this one in a matter of hours, I knew that I was going to be strangely addicted to this series, the same way I was addicted to Darkfever. 
 I really can't put my finger on it, but something about this series is just so good. Anne Bishop brings in a unique and delightful aspect of the terra indigine's animal forms that I find extremely interesting. I also enjoy the tight knit Courtyard community, more than I anticipated I would. The slow development of Simon and Meg's relationship is also a major plus in this series, with a very large emphasis on male-female friendships, rather than deliberate romance. This is a solid urban fantasy series, and I'm excited to see where this goes in the future. 
 4 star rating overall.