I don't know what it was about this book that made it so ridiculously addicting. It was stunning, a gorgeous setting and a story that grabbed me and didn't let go.

The writing is crisp and descriptive, weaving intricate visions of the world, the characters, and everything between. It's such a fleshed out and in depth world, with really deep lore and stories, and I found myself totally immersed. I could imagine every place they went, and everything felt so connected and justified that even the most fantastical things were totally fine.

The characters are also immaculate, they're all so diverse in their looks, personalities, and morals. They all grew and changed so much over the course of the book, and I really appreciated how the author wasn't afraid to make them a little bit fucked up at times. Everyone is flawed, and her characters represented that - very real struggles within the book that were both relatable and heartbreaking. The POV switching was refreshing - it allowed us a break from characters going through stressful situations, and kept us up to date with where everyone was. Never guessing, and never needing to be retroactively explained where everyone was was just so nice to see in a fantasy book. The POVs didn't feel rushed or unnecessary, and even when it wasn't focused on the main character, it was still engaging.

I found it impossible to put down once I'd picked it up. The plot flowed like a river, perfectly moving one place to the next, with just enough action and adventure to keep you engaged during the less intense parts, and enough emotion and description to water down the really anxious sections. The first half is a lot of lore, a lot of world building and setting the scene for the rest of the book. It's still so interesting. I loved the way the author integrated everything in a storybook vision, and how every person and group in the universe meshes with each other so well. And when you finally get to the action, it feels so natural for it to progress that way. I never felt left behind or scrambling to keep up, just reading, because it was all I wanted to do. 

There were so many plot twists and plot points that tore my heart out and kept me guessing, kept me wanting to know more. It wasn't predictable, but it made so much sense, and it was integrated into the book so perfectly. I was stressed (still am) about so much of the plot, and it was so engaging, that I picked up the second literally right away, stopping only to rate this book and update my 'currently reading'. 

Such a gripping YA Fantasy that I truly think everyone should read just to be able to immerse themselves in the fun, intense adventure that was this book.