First read: 5 stars
I have finally read this book! I really connected with the characters, especially Inej and Kaz. This might sound weird, but I really related to Kaz in a lot of ways and so I really appreciated him as a character. I really enjoy the "morally grey" trope and it was a big part of this book. The atmosphere gripped me right from the start and I found myself wanting to pick up the book constantly, not just for the plot, but also for the characters and the world.

Second read: 4 stars
Reread so that I can finally finish the series. The first half of the novel dragged a little bit more than I remembered, but the second half was great. I really do love these characters. I had completely forgotten about the ending and now I'm excited to read book 2.