I had such high expectations about this book, and I'm so happy that GSP fulfilled them almost entirely! I loved the character development of Soraya, and even though I guessed the ending midway through the book, it was still so satisfying. The pace and writing were great, I wasn't bored anywhere in the story and it was so addicting! I enjoyed the world-building, it was like a breath of fresh air to not read about a Europe-inspired kingdom. And I enjoyed the overall plot.
The only thing I didn't enjoy that much was the romance. Not at all because it was LGBTQ+ - that was one of the few things I liked about it - but because it just felt... flat. I feel like I didn't get to see Soraya fall in love, it was so fast. I think I like the idea of the relationship way more than I like the execution. 
On the other hand, I loved Soraya's relationship and interaction with the main villain. There was so much nuance and symbolism.
Overall, it was an awesome read that lived up to the hype, although it is fantasy, not a romance book like some recommendations suggest.