LADY SMOKE is every bit as addictive as the first in this engrossing trilogy. Picking up where the first book left off, we follow Theo as she leaves Astrea, the place where she should be queen if the Kalovaxians had not invaded and taken over. She has spent the last ten years under the cruel Kaiser, a prisoner in the palace while her people suffered in slavery. Now that she has escaped with some other Astrean rebels, with the Kalovaxian Prinz as her captive, she finds herself conflicted over the limited freedom she gets on the Dragonsbane's ship.

Astrean queens do not typically marry, but Dragonsbane has organized an event for Theo to choose a spouse. This would be to acquire their military aid in retaking Astrea from the Kalovaxians, but Theo is not so naive as to believe there is not also something big in it for Dragonsbane. Theo will need to figure out motives, allies/enemies, and plot for ways to retake her kingdom from the foreign land where they are now staying.

What I loved: Sebastian really has a gift with pacing. The plot moves quickly and smoothly throughout the book, capturing and keeping the reader's attention. This book takes place less in Theo's head (though there is still a lot of important things happening there), as we meet royalty from other kingdoms and expand the world we met in the first book. There is much more political intrigue, mind games, and dangerous relationships in this second book. Romance really takes a backseat, and I really enjoyed it.

There are also some interesting discussions about war, the people who fight in them, political motives, the concept of virginity, and interpersonal relationships. It all makes for a truly fascinating novel. While this is the middle book in the trilogy, there's nothing middling about this, and it is a really great novel in its own right (certainly not just a space filler between books).

Final verdict: Atmospheric, engaging, and beautifully crafted, LADY SMOKE is a wonderful continuation of this dark YA fantasy series. Expect plenty of political intrigue, mystery, and war/rebellion-related violence. While not for the faint of heart, this series is highly addictive with fully developed characters and lots of twists and turns.