Six weeks after the battle that concluded Grim Lovelies (2018), Anouk is the only member of her Beastie family left in human form. Cricket, Luc, and Hunter Black are being held captive as animals by Paris Royal Prince Rennar, who will free them if Anouk agrees to marry him. Though she accepts his proposal, she does so on her own terms, one of which is that she be given the opportunity to walk the Coal Baths that can transform her into a fully fledged witch. As Anouk makes the harrowing journey to the Cottage to undergo its magic trials, an ancient plague, believed to have been unleashed by the Oxford Coven, wreaks havoc on London. Shepherd ably manages to keep tension and steady movement within a plot enriched by political machinations and world building. This is largely due to the countdown of time available to Anouk, Rennar, and the Beastie gang to stop the plague from spreading. Exciting action scenes and unexpected personal revelations and character relationships combine to form a tantalizing conclusion to Shepherd's duology.--Julia Smith Copyright 2019 Booklist

A girl struggles with what she is: not animal, not human, not witch.The conclusion to Shepherd's (Grim Lovelies, 2018, etc.) duology begins six weeks after the siege of Montlimar. Rennar's crows surround Anouk's home, where she is now trapped, her plans to study magic at an academy having stalled. When Rennar, crown prince of the Shadow Royals, shows up at her door, a shoe missing and fear in his eyes, something is clearly wrong. Despite her suspicions, Anouk bargains with him for a chance to rescue her friends, become a witch, and gain power. Readers familiar with the first volume will enjoy this final leg of Anouk's journey in which enemies become family and the powerless become powerful. Her transformation is the central theme of the story: Anouk feels "tired of living in a world where girls were so expendable." The love triangle skews toward the boy who offers the more emotionally healthy choice, though he is prone toward saccharine declarations. Moving from Paris to London, the story highlights major landmarks that help ground readers in the setting. Sexual diversity features prominently, from a trans character from the last book taking on a larger role to the heartache of a gay boy in love with his straight, male best friend. Although many of the witches and Royals tend toward white, there are a few racially diverse characters.A satisfying conclusion. (Urban fantasy. 13-18) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.