Holy effing shit. 
 I haven't read a book so quickly in so long. This caught me by the throat, urging me to go on and on with the story. It was so intense; I loved the dynamics between particular characters, a certain couple just dragged me on through it. God, it was so amazing and epic and mystical. All of the books in this series--wow, they just cut through you deep and make you feel so emotional and built up with the pressure and--damn man it's so good. 
 One of my favorite characters has got to be Lucia. Some hate her, some love her; I love her. She's one of the most powerful and manipulative characters I have read in a fantasy series before. I feel like I grew up with her while reading this. I tell my parents every book I read because they're interested in reading too, and when I told my dad about Lucia, I told him that I was excited for every single one of her chapters because SHE TRAVELS WITH A FIRE GOD WHO DRINKS BLAND SOUP! I mean, if that isn't awesome, I don't know what is. Plus, additionally she's just a smokin' sorceress who gets on by just by destroying everything in sight but... well, things come around and go around and shit happens. 
 The plot built and expanded so much, also. I absolutely adored the amount of intricate details that Morgan Rhodes put into this book. The Kraeshian Empire specifically: it was so small before and now this feud between Gaius and Amara has got me hooked and on the edge of my seat, waiting to see what happens. The elemental magic, elementia, was there as well and damn was it described so well and added so much bloody backstory to the princesses and the goddesses. I loved it. I bloody loved it. 
 This series is honestly one of the most fantastically plotted and weaved out stories I have read in my entire life. It's something that sticks in your soul like honey, only dripping off when the bad memories fade and the good ones replace them. The only bad thing is that, cliche, I wish it was longer. All the books are around 400 pages and I just want more! It's so addictive and you just need more because dammit these characters compel you to be driven towards more books by the author. (2 DAYS UNTIL THE DARKEST MAGIC!) 
 And that is all. Crystal Storm comes out December, I believe, and I can't freaking wait; it's gonna be so epic.