Wow!! This is my second time reading this book, in preparation to read the final one. I enjoyed it SO much more this time around. I don’t know if I have just had more experience with similar genres, or if I knew what to expect, or just was in a different headspace this time, but I loved it, whereas before I just liked it okay.

Blake does such a phenomenal job at weaving a story rich with clues and Easter eggs, while also making you think. I also very much enjoy that she writes Nico and Libby as if they will fall into the “enemies to lovers” trope, but she instead leads us to realize that they are just meant to be in each other’s lives, only platonically. I really enjoy that freshness.

My only complaint is that Reina seems like a very poorly fleshed out character - I don’t really care much about her at all, and it feels like most of her chapters are more just setting her up for the second book (which is where she shines a little more). In book 1, she is forgettable, and when you remember her, she’s unlikable (in my opinion).

Even with this, I still rate the book 5 stars because of it’s originality, intelligence, and ability to draw me in quickly and keep me eagerly reading more!