This was a really enjoyable read. I loved the unique magic system with the cards, it reminded me of tarot cards but with magic and consequences of using said magical cards. I loved how, while this is depicted as "YA", we get that deeper insight into the magic system that we normally wouldn't get and how focused the plot was on the cards, the sickness, and the world. 

However, that being said, I don't really have many strong feelings on the book. I neither love nor hate it. I was more invested in the magic than I was the characters. The magic was unique the characters not as much. They definitely followed the typical YA character arch, along with the romance. Don't get me wrong there was good character development and even secondary characters seemed fleshed out. However, there was nothing special or unique about them. 

The romance also seemed to follow the same YA fantasy romance pattern - instant attraction, tension/lust, confession, and angst. 

One other thing, this is published as YA and it read as new adult/adult - especially with the s*x scene, gore, and other dark themes. Granted we get an above the bed version (feelings more than details). While I am all for lusty content in books and think that we shouldn't gatekeep romances/ s*x in YA. I do think that publishers need to start publishing books, like this one, in a New Adult category because many of these newer YA fall there and not with YA. That's just a personal thought.