I read this in a single sitting.

(Well, almost. I started it on a turbulent flight and couldn't focus on the story because I was too focused on my own mortality. However, once on land, it was a sure thing.)

This is the eighth book in this series, and it was BY FAR my favorite. I'm sure if I go back and read prior reviews, I will have said that of all of them, but in this instance it is absolutely true.

While each of the prior books had its own self-contained story as a piece of the larger puzzle, this book answers the big questions, the existential questions, the cornerstone-of-the-plot questions, and it does so in an entirely satisfying and unexpected way.

There is really no way to discuss the plot in any way other than how the back-of-the-book-blurb already has without spoiling elements of it, but suffice to say -- if you enjoy this series, you absolutely MUST continue reading it.

It had a bittersweet sense of finality to it. I quickly went to the author's website to see if the series was over, but learned that we should only think of it as the "end of the current season." Phew.

If you're not reading this series, you should be.

arc received from the publisher for review