A Gathering of Shadows

Pros: just as pretty, stylish, and dramatic as the first one, but perhaps even a bit more fun (the tournament is a blast). Reminds me of how aesthetically pleasing the Night Circus is. I also really appreciated the relationship between the brothers; they're not rivals, or power beholden to each other like lots of fantasy would have. They really love each other, and it gives the whole book a warm-hearted twinge that drives it all.

Cons: a little bit of a bait and switch from the last book's finale, but I do sympathize that it's hard to have a plot with high stakes in book 2 of 3 (you need it to have its own problems but still tie in well with the other two). Schwab solved this with a blatant cliffhanger, which I don't love, but who am I to judge