This was such an EPIC read!!! I LOVED everything!!! 
 This book had loads of action from fight scenes with magic and so forth. From chapter one, I was just reeled in. It had my interest going the whole time. Yes, I have to admit that there was info dumping in the first couple of chapters with all the types of witches and the 20 year truce. But, I just went with it and I am glad I did. 
 The characters were flawless. I loved Safi and Iseult's friendship. You hardly see that in many books. I adored the romance between Safi and Merik. Although, this took up much less of the story, it was the slow burn type which I love. The side characters were well written too. They didn't just show up in the book. They were woven so well into the story. The villain, Aeduan the Bloodwitch, is one of the best villains I have encountered so far. He was so bad-ass. I can't wait to know more his backstory. Susan Dennard definitely kept the mystery going in this regard. His character is so conflicted. That in itself gives me enough motivation to read the next book. :) There's also a bigger villain (but I won't give out too many details otherwise it will spoil the story) which adds a further element of intrigue. 
 As to the worldbuilding, I know many people have complained as there being a lack of it, but for me there were no issues. I felt enough was described to paint a picture of the surroundings. For me Venaza City was a lot like Venice with all the canal systems and such. Plus, the clothing and the terms used to describe the nobility reminded me of the Renaissance period. :D Also, I would like to thank the author for the map of the Kingdoms, it really gave a clear idea of distances and locations. 
 As you can tell, I can't stop gushing. All I can say is, I just need book two NOW!!! And PLEASE if you haven't read this book, go grab a copy and READ it XD