I’m writing this review over 2 weeks after finishing the book and I can’t remember why I only gave it 3 stars… I went into this series with SUCH high hopes. I LIVE for Sierra Simone’s New Camelot trilogy, and this series added even MORE people to the orgy AND was supposed to emulate a “Secret Garden” kind of spooky vibe? Have magic? It should have been PERFECT!

I liked all of the closure we got from our group’s parents and the insight we got into Thornchapel from them. I really liked that Poe and Beckett went through the door as a “sacrifice” and Auden and Saint got married to live happily ever after until the door opened again and they could be with Poe. I liked that they finally got to reunite with her and have their happy ending.

I was a bit frustrated that the magic aspect of this series took so long to truly materialize. Maybe that’s part of the suspense, but the first three books really made it seem like the “magic” could have been completely fake and this world is normal just like our world, and finally in this book we ACTUALLY have powers and sicknesses and magic doors. I think I would have liked more of that throughout the series, less Delphine and Rebecca drama, and just… so much more Auden. I loved his character arc and I think that being fleshed out would have worked so well.