Middle books are notoriously tough. And because of that, I'm never sure if I should have high expectations, or low. Obviously, I want the book to blow me away, but at the same time, deep in the recesses of my mind, I have this prepped feeling of disappointment, ready to pull out at a moment's notice. 
 The first hurdle of my middle-book judgement is the recap. It is the author's job to remind us where we left off, without causing a massive info-dump. In this case, I didn't reread the first book (my bad), so I was instantly struggling. There wasn't a ton of recap, or any to speak of in the first few scenes. It read exactly as though it were simply the next chapter of the first book. So, I'm going to straight up recommend that you don't leave too much time before reading this sequel. I did eventually piece together enough of my memories to reorient myself, but I hit the ground running. 
 What I liked best about the first book was the originality of the story. Not just the plot, which is complex and ever-adapting, but also the characters. I honestly don't know whether I should love them or hate them. Do I trust them, or turn them over to the hands of my enemies? And there do seem to be a lot of enemies! So, luckily for me, everything that I loved the first time around, has been carried over through the rest of the series. Right up to the end of this sequel, I still found that all of these lines between right and wrong are deliciously blurred, leading the reader through an emotional rollercoaster. 
 Is the book without its flaws? Certainly not. The verb tenses got weird a few times, and there were scenes that left me feeling confused about what I had just read. BUT the good far outweighs the bad. Jacinta Maree knows how to write action, no doubt! I would love to see her notes, because this story has become so massive! There is always so much going on, not just center stage, but also waiting in the wings. I could easily drive myself crazy trying to figure out where this story is headed, so it's best if I just close my eyes, hold on tight, and enjoy the ride. 
 A copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.