Kazia Dire, you wild and unpredictable little brat. I just KNEW there were hidden depths lurking under that snarky, chaotic attitude, and I KNEW I was going to love you for them. And boy, was I right! This final installment of Tavia Lark’s Perilous Courts series was just as captivating as I expected it to be. I was immediately enthralled by Lucien and Kazia’s love story, as well as their individual journeys throughout the book. Both of them so clearly needed to find their own ways forward in the world, and in doing so, find their ways to each other. I loved how perceptive Lucien was and how he immediately picked up on all the little clues about Kazia’s life and what was really going on beneath the surface. 

My chief complaint about this final book in the series just that it felt way too short. I wanted so much more for the final showdown between the two warring realms, the two ruling families of princes that we’ve lived with over six books, and all the build-up that has led to these moments. Honestly, the book could have been at least twice as long, with more time spent on Lucien’s new dragon bond, perhaps more insight into the war currently being fought, and certainly more time on final dramatic scene in the throne room. Plus, Kazia and Lucien’s relationship could have used more pages to really grow and breathe, rather than just immediately jump from a hurt/comfort situation to love. But all this is just because I love the world Tavia Lark built so much and I really wish we spent more time giving the series the big send-off I feel it deserved. I just wanted to live immersed in this universe for as long as I possibly could. And that’s possibly the highest compliment I could pay, because when a writer creates a universe so wondrous, filled with characters so complex and captivating, how could you not want to just dive into those pages again and again and again?