Ok Ok, I'm sorry, but I can't get over this spoiler

Aelin and Rowan are technically "related"...like 10+ generations apart or something BUT I couldn't get over it. I am unsure why this bothered me. Like whyyyyyyyyyyyyyy did they have to be even distantly related? Couldn't this just have been left out? I know that, in reality, the bloodline is pretty far off, but still

. I braced myself for Rowan being a bit of a dick in this book and that delivered. Honestly, Celaena is, too, so like w/e, it worked. 

Manon is a super interesting new character, but for some reason, her beginning chapters/sections dragged for me a bit, which was weird because they were action-packed, and I liked getting to know her. I can't explain it! I started very much getting into them after the halfway point, though (thankfully!).

Here is what I am thankful for: actually somewhat liking Celaena. I FINALLY saw some character development - she is going through the trenches. She is broken and spiteful; she doesn't really like herself. A lot of her past choices and actions are eating at her, and I think that while there were still some weird materialistic things that annoyed me about her, she finally is getting to a place of strength and resilience.