The Book of Azrael is much longer than it needs to be, but there is something here that makes me excited I was approved for an ARC of the sequel.

The self-loathing of most of these characters is a bit heavy. It’s unappealing that these incredibly powerful gods and monsters spend so much time loathing themselves for their actions, no matter how much time passes. What a waste of power and time. Nothing is worse than a thousand-year-old fire creature having the emotional intelligence of a teenager unless it’s a god-king who is thousands of years old with the same problem.

The world Nicole created here is complex and vast but familiar enough that it's easy to enjoy the story while the world builds around you. The creatures and conflicts are intriguing, and I’m looking forward to getting more information in The Throne of Broken Gods to further explain the history and hierarchy of all of these beings. We don’t get to see much of the Hand, but what we have seen seems promising. And Liam and Dianna have their moments, even if they're buried under so many less promising ones.

Even without the editing it so desperately needed, there are enough good moments in The Book of Azrael that make it worthwhile. I’m hoping The Throne of Broken Gods has a little more action and a little less exposition, but the ending here does leave me hopeful that big things are coming, so it seems promising.