This was such a good book to read! I love ND Jones writing styles and the stories she creates. This is the 2nd book of hers that I have read, and I was not disappointed at all. Along with an amazing world and characters she built you could really see and understand the underlying message in the book which was about fear and what people do when they are scared. Everyone in this book was scared. Witches were scared of the men/werewolves but not just adults but their own sons even and the harm they could do to the witches because they crave the taste of a witch's blood & magic. Men/werewolves were scared of the harm they could do their mothers, wives and daughters if they were to ever lose control and how some to keep their families safe would be forced to leave ether for periods of time or permanently. And it is because of that fear that you see people clutch to these systems that are put in place to yes protect some of the population but at the same time to oppress another part and any attempt to progress is an attack and must be dealt with and for some characters that even meant treason. For other characters even though they were scared they saw how they benefited from these systems and that there just has to be a better way, and they have to change things so EVERYONE is safe and treated equally but how fast can they bring about that change and how slow can they go for some peoples comfort before it just means standing still and doing nothing. Unfortunately, this sentiment isn't new in the world and is still relevant in this day and age, but it was still an important point to drive home wrapped in an amazing story, world and characters. 

This is set up in a flashback sort of setting which I don't always enjoy but it made sense for this book, and it only happened at the start where we get this big event and then the story starts years in the past and how we got to that point and then finishes out the story. It made sense and I enjoyed it and I shed a few tears at the end of the book with the ending. 

Recommend this book 100%.

This book is about Oriana Matriarch of Steelcross and a Crimson Hunter. She lives in a society made up of witches, werewolves and humans. But there is a problem with her society following the War of Eternal Hunger witches were able to reclaim their freedom under the rule of the patriarch of werewolves. But time has passed a 1000 years and things have swayed in the other way in where not their have a society based on a Matriarch where witches are at the top and restrictions are placed on werewolves for the safety of all. Restrictions such as rage disrupter collars to help keep their anger in control because if a werewolf were to lose control the witches closest to him would be in danger as werewolves crave the taste of a witch's magic and blood. What are these two parts of society that need one another supposed to do when one side fights the temptation to hurt you, and another side has built cities and armed themselves with weapons targeting werewolves. Oriana is a young Matriarch however that wants to do something to make society equal for everyone and not just benefit some and with her mate Marrok is a Clan of the Black Moon werewolf at her side to help her they will look to the past as they try to bring about a more equitable future for all. But there are those who are plotting against them due to fear of what that future might hold for witches. Will the future look bright for all or are they naive in their hope?