5 Words: Secrets, tragedy, death, lies, betrayal. 
 5 More Words: Love, regret, heartbreak, magic, surprises. 
 This series definitely gets better as it goes on. Read the first book, even if it's only so you can read this one and know what's happened before because Crown of Midnight is the complete opposite of the Second Book Curse. I even gave it ten words instead of five, a very rare occurrence. 
 In Crown of Midnight we see the kick-ass assassin that the first book promised really come to life. She rips through the pages, tearing them to shreds. She is cold, calculating. But that's not the sum total of all her parts. We see different sides of this dangerous assassin and even a surprise dose of romance, affection and soul-baring love. 
 The only reason this book didn't get a full 5 stars is because I'm still not head-over-heels for Celaena. But she sure is growing on me. I understand her far more than I did before. I'm starting to fall for her. I don't care that she's often gazing in the mirror. Heck, I stare in the mirror long enough myself (even if I'm not thinking about how pretty I am) and I care about my appearance. Isn't that just a sign of the girl, the barely-a-woman adolescent that Celaena is? 
 After that ending, I can't wait to get on to Heir of Fire.