Hannah F. Whitten’s follow-up to For the Wolf begins right where the first left off, with Neve trapped in the Shadowlands with Solmir. But the Shadowlands are coming to an end, and Solmir is determined to kill the Old Kings trapped there and destroy their dark powers before it’s too late—he just needs Neve’s help. Meanwhile, Red and Eammon are looking for a way to bring Neve home while contending with their own changing connections to the Wilderwood, and Raffe is struggling to keep up appearances so no one in Valleyda realizes their queen is missing.

Like it’s predecessor, this book definitely had some Beauty and the Beast vibes, but it had its work cut out for it, as the two leading characters are monsters of their own making (however well-intentioned their choices might have originally been). To my pleasant surprise, the anti-hero arcs for both Neve and Solmir were pretty believably and compellingly done, and I didn’t hate spending so much of the book following them, though I will say Red and Eammon are still my preferred storyline.

We get some more answers about the history of this world through Solmir’s backstory, which I appreciated, but the Wilderwood and its rules remain pretty mysterious (it still makes for a great atmosphere and setting, though).

All in all, I’m sticking with a 3.5 stars for this duology. The settings of the Wilderwood and Shadowlands are characters unto themselves, and definitely fascinating, and the actual characters are well-drawn and complex, making you root for them, feel for them, and shake your head at them in frustration in equal measure. Of the two, I preferred For the Wolf, but looking at other reviewers’ reactions, I think it really comes down to which character arc appeals to you more: someone reclaiming their power and agency or someone struggling to overcome their past and inner demons. Either way, I recommend reading them in quick succession so you don’t forget the tiny details of the world-building, and for the most cohesive and effective feel of the character arcs.