rating:4 stars

what just happened. it's been almost three weeks since I finished this book and i'm still screaming. sure, this book wasn't as fast paced and exciting as the first book but it was still incredible. the last hundred pages were fucking insane. i couldn't put the book down and sat there until the whole thing was done, staring at my wall in disbelief when i had finished.

but similar to the first book, the only place where this book fell short was the characters. this trilogy is definitely a plot driven one. none of the characters really have much development and have little personality other than what they came to ellingham for.

take nate for example. he's been the exact same person for both books: all he does is complain about having no ideas for his fantasy book and is constantly shown as someone who is extra careful without an inch of rebellion in him. as for Stevie, her only character trait is wanting to solve the mystery. i can't say anything else because that's literally it.

another thing that i really didn't like: the romance. none of the characters really have any chemistry with each other and i wanted to scream every time

Spoiler

stevie and david kissed. they went in a constant loop of ignoring each other, kissing each other wildly, and then ignoring each other again until they got back together. like please, pick one.

but in general, if you're looking for a book that will keep you on your toes, this is it. it has its flaws yes, but i still love it. maybe too much.