3.5 stars 
 I love this series so much. I am so glad that my friend Nifty talked me into reading the first one a few years ago. When I received my review copy of "Marked in Flesh", I read it over several days, then went back and reread the first three books, then reread "Marked", staying up late to do so. I was caught up even more on the second reading than I was on the first one. 
 Bishop has built a complex world full of intrigue, politics, and mythology. Events from the previous books are brought to a head and the results are bloody and lethal. I cried and several times I held my breath, afraid of what would happen next. The tension was palpable at times and at other times, events felt anticlimactic. Connections are being formed and others strengthened; changes are happening, more are coming, and even the terra indigene are frightened. 
 With so much happening in the story, and so much that Bishop wanted to show, she bounced around a lot with different POVs and characters. While I understand why she did, it took me longer to connect with the story and characters, especially the new ones. It also made the story a bit disjointed at first until the rhythm was established. It did help lay the groundwork for events, both in this story and future ones. A lot happens but Bishop didn't ignore her characters. The female pack,as well as the human pack, is growing and the Courtyard is changing for it. Seeing the reaction of the Others made me laugh at times. I loved how the Courtyard stepped and took care of their humans. They may not always understand each other but they work together and protect each other. I was delighted that we got to see and spend time with some of the rescued cassandra sangue. The romance between Meg and Simon, while slower than I'd like, is progressing. I'm still hopeful that they will end up together. All of the characters, even minor ones, are detailed and textured. Despite my initial difficulties warming up to the multiple POVs, I became attached to some of the new people. Bishop has a way of drawing you in and making you see multiple sides of a situation. 
 I didn't love "Marked in Flesh" as much as the earlier books but I enjoyed it and found myself reluctant to leave the world. 
 I received this book from the publisher for review.