Game-changer of a book. 
 I will say that things are totally different in this book, the characters especially. But, I found I didn't mind it at all. It might be because I'm all for this sexy, badass Aelin and the near perfect Rowan. Swoon! I wanted so much more of Rowan. In fact, if this book was all him, I totally wouldn't mind it. I totally savored every scene with him in it and I wanted to shake Sarah to give me more. I think I prefer Aelin to Calaena. I didn't see much of a badass assassin with Calaena, even though I liked her attitude and demeanor. Also, I loved that despite her prickliness and wariness to trust others, she still manages to make another solid female friendship. I really enjoyed their scenes together. There were quite a few surprises, more of them towards the end, and a couple of them left me open-mouthed. 
 I didn't like how long it took for any real action to take place, especially in regards to Dorian and his predicament. Everyone knows how massive this book is, and a lot of it is the reader getting to know these characters all over again. Aelin, Dorian, and Chaol are all very different, so we had to re-learn about them. Other important characters also had a lot of screen time, so there was more info-dumping and internal thoughts than anything else. Also, as important as Manon and her story is to the overall arc, I still didn't care for her chapters. They bored me in the HoF and they only mildly entertained me in this book. I did like when both worlds collided, but that's about it. 
 Rowan is end-game. Always. I love him!