I have been eagerly awaiting this book since finishing Notorious Sorcerer, and I am so thankful that I was able to get an arc from Orbit through NetGalley!

I wanted to tear through this book to get answers, but ultimately ending up savoring it because I simply did not want it to end. We pick up two months after the events of Notorious Sorcerer, and things are once again going awry in Bezim. Shadow Baron takes us on a much more political based journey than the first book, and I especially loved Zagiri’s POVs as she navigates the system and figures out how to make things work. Siyon is trying to find his footing as the Power of the Mundane while also caught in a loop of grief and pining. Meanwhile, Anahid lives an intense double life and slays while doing so. 

I really enjoyed this book!! It was definitely a slowdown compared to the first one, but I really loved learning more about Bezim and the way that the world opened up so much more. There are also some great new characters that added some interesting elements, particularly Mayar and Balian. The stakes seemed a lot higher in this installment, and things definitely took some darker turns as the characters tried to find answers. 

All things considered, this is truly Anahid’s book. She absolutely stole the show. Hers were my favorite sections and I absolutely loved the journey she was on, and the growth we saw in her character. I loved Siyon’s parts of course, but my heart was hurting for him missing Izmirlian, and Zagiri’s sections didn’t quite get to the same depths as Anahid’s. I did not expect Anahid to be my favorite character by the end of this, but I am so happy to say she is. She is the moment. 

This book is a rock solid 5⭐️ for me, and I will be rereading when I get a physical copy, and then desperately awaiting news of book three.