Kelsey

Not the worst book I've ever read but it's close.

It's been a really long time since I've finished a book and had to just sit there holding it and looking out the window like okay... wow, now what?

I generally don't like the overuse of the term “altered my brain chemistry” but right now I can't really find any other words to encompass my reaction to this. I have so much to say and unpack and rave about but I also would like to just hold onto all the information I have on this book and just lie down with it like a comfort blanket and go to sleep.

More intriguing and insightful than entertaining. Perhaps too short too, if it could have been fleshed out more, more genuine conversation and expression between Winterbourne and Daisy then maybe I would have cared more about them both.

I can see this being a book I go back to over the years and finding myself delving deeper and understanding more and more with every read. I'm astonished and disgusted and grieving.

I could not put this down. I had a few friends tell me this book wasn't as good as the first, it's a bit slower and the change of scenery might take me a moment to get used to, but honestly, I felt this was better than the first.

I felt much closer to Alina and Mal, as well as getting a closer insight into their relationship, their flaws and their need to protect one another. Watching them discover themselves and their demons together and apart hit all the right notes for me.

The introduction of the new characters felt seamless, I was never bored and loved the mix of new faces. Leigh Bardugo is now one of my favourite authors, I personally just couldn't find a fault with this as a sequel and usually sequels can be quite tough to follow in their debut siblings steps.

The only issue I had while reading this was the inescapable feeling that I may never read a book that makes me feel like this again, I wish I could go back to the start already and jump back in with my mind blank.