This second book continues right off where the first one ends. There is a lot of world building info dump as it explains a lot more about the Atlantians, wolven bonds and Vamprys. The world of politics and magic just continues to get more complex and nuanced. The pace slows down halfway through as there is a lot of travelling and lodging. The main characters are on their way to Atlantia and there is time for Poppy and Casteel to reconcile, so their "reunion" didn't feel rushed or forced. I was surprised at how I changed my mind about Casteel: he turned out to be a nice guy in light of all the terrible things happening in this world. Poppy discovers that her whole life was a lie, and we see her growing, regaining her confidence and being able to express her true self. It felt to me like a "second chance" type of romance, because now Poppy knows Casteel's true identity and there is relationship development all over again. There was one cringy sexy scene in a carriage in the middle of a battle which I thought was over the top. It ends with a bang, and it seems the explanation of exactly what happened in the end is in the next book.