Oh, the bittersweet feel of reading a great book when it's the final installment of a series. I loved the book, though I hate saying goodbye to the characters.

Carmen DeSousa captivates with action, depth, and emotion from start to finish. Her writing style is easy to get lost in. I find myself empathizing with the characters, even when I don't particularly want to. Carmen's gift to us is that we truly experience what it feels like to be someone completely different from ourselves.

While this series would be classified as 'supernatural' or 'fantasy', DeSousa lays the story out for us in a way that makes total sense. She gives us a credible scenario, both in writing and in research, and I find myself saying, "What if?"

This book - and the series - beautifully incorporates suspense, mystery, romance, hope, fear, betrayal, and so much more. Now, perhaps more than ever, we need to understand what it feels like to be "The Other". And though this story technically has nothing to do with our current political and social climate, it does shine a light on our very human tendency to negatively judge people who are unlike ourselves.

*This book could be read as a stand-alone, though, for the best reading experience, I suggest reading them in order.* ( )