I feel like I waited the entire book for something to actually happen :/ 
 Sure, we got a lot of background story for Arsinoe, Mirabella and Katherine ... but after the first book I was expecting to be up to my knees in bloodshed! I figured the claws would come out, for each queen to plot the death her sisters, and for the murder attempts to come left and right! And well ... that just doesn't happen. 
 This is the entire premise of the story line... and it doesn't happen!!?? And don't get me wrong, it's a good story ... but come on, drag it much?! 
 (view spoiler)[There's Mirabella, the seemingly strongest of the three sisters, finally starting to take charge of her destiny and determined to be queen - but only because she thinks both Arsinoe and Katherine are "cruel", which in turn makes them underserving. Then there's Arsinoe, who is so wrapped up with beating her "blood thirsty" sisters with low magic that she doesn't really stop to think of the harm she's causing while using it. And finally you got Katherine, who after the ending of the first book has come back with a vengeance. Here I am thinking... YES! Finally! Let's get this crazy killing spree started, because of course with all she's been through Katherine HAS to be the catalyst here... but nope., nada, zero, zilch! Sure, she's crazy as one can be now, and determined to be the one crowned queen, powered by the spirits of all the other dead queens, and STILL NOTHING!? Ugh! (hide spoiler)] 
 Also, the love stories took a big chunk of the book, and although I love me some romance, I wanted things to actually happen. I still found Joseph annoying, and I hate that Jules works at forgiving him the entire length of the book. Billy was great all around, and although he's his father's puppet for most of the time, I'll admit I have a soft spot for him. 
 Finally, when you have about 50 pages to go, the story picks up - unexpected characters die - events start to actually align themselves with the storyline - and you're back where you started. Waiting. Thinking to yourself ..."ummm really? REALLY!?" 
 And so now ... we continue to wait for God knows how long, until the next book comes out :/