This was a vast improvement from the first novel. The characters are more developed. The world-building is amazing! The only thing I did not like about this book was that it was very slow. Still, it is beautifully written! I recommend this for fans of Jessica Day George, Edith Pattou, and Sarah Beth Durst!

Thank you NetGalley and Holiday House for the ARC to review!
I didn't realize this was a sequel? So McIsaac did an excellent job with world-building and exposition because I was able to catch on pretty quickly to what was going on politically.

I thought this was an excellently written book, with fascinating lore and world building; however, it was a bit slow at times, and I would have enjoyed a bit more fast-paced action. Additionally, the characters were dynamic and memorable.

Again, the lore of this book was phenomenal and I will be reading the first one to get the full scope of it!

3.5

I received an ARC from NetGalley, and I am leaving my review willingly

I unfortunately did not like this book, I was really hoping for more from this book but honestly it was more world building then I expected including after the first book.

Now don't get me wrong... The characters and world building was absolutely outstanding but honestly this book just didn't do it for me.

I think I was honestly just expecting a lot more action then what was given in this book including after where the first book left off. I am considering rereading the first and second book just to see if I feel the same way.. It has been a hot minutes since I read the first book.

As soon as I got this downloaded, I was nose to reader. It's sexy, genuine, characters who had me falling hard for them. It made me mad that I have to blink because I didn't want to miss a moment not even any punctuation.

Such a good read, I had enjoyed the first book in The Bear House series. This book did exactly what I wanted it to and I was invested in the story that was being told. The characters were just as strong as the first book and I was really glad to read this. I can't wait for whatever comes next for Meaghan McIsaac.

"Promises, Aster had said. He was suddenly ashamed of how dismissive he’d been. Bram Lourdes was a dangerous man in life. But in death... A darkness yawned over the back of the alleyway. Hidden spaces and nooks and crannies... How safe was Aster any‑where? How safe were any of them? He thought of the bent and crooked trees of the Deadwood, still and silent and watching."