<blockquote><b><i>“If you won’t be my friend, you’ll regret being my enemy.” </i></b></blockquote>Although I loved the first one, and this second installment was also very good, there were some issues that I couldn't overlook. Overall, after the events of The Winner's Curse, we have Kestrel navigating the political games and the dangers of the court, as well as Arin trying to rebuild Herran, while still trying to keep the Valorians at bay. There is a tension that hovers over the entire book and leaves the reader feeling uneasy like anything bad could happen at all times the entire time and when things finally explode, you're left reeling and just as destroyed as our mains characters. Kestrel, while smart and a very good strategist, is completely out of her element here and lets herself be caught in something she can't quite get out of. I like that she had to go through this, as much as it pained me in the end, but it was a good way for her character to develop. I liked the new characters but wanted more of an active role for some of them. And while I love me some angst in my couples, the plot device the author used here not only to keep the two leads apart but to set the whole thing to the end she wanted was just so poor - I hate lack of communication as a way to further things along and delay the couple getting together. It means that the whole plot could have unraveled with one decent conversation and there would be no book afterward. It feels like lazy writing to me and was what bothered me the most here. I get it that there were some trust issues between Arin and Kestrel, justifiably so, but it was stretched out as much as it could until it was just annoying and an obvious plot device. Still, I keep enjoying this story so much and Kestrel & Arin's characters are amazing. They grow a lot during this book and I think it sets the whole mood for the conclusion. It's a good middle book, with a few issues here and there.