This is a great addition to the series. I was somewhat hesitant going into it, knowing that this would be a different narrator than the rest of the books, but I should have known better than to second guess Ilona Andrews.
I really enjoyed having the further insight into vampire culture, and getting to know the vampires we've already met in their own context, rather than fighting on Earth.

Maud is very badass, but not in an overpowered way. It's in a way that fits with her upbringing in an inn, and the ambiguous nature of her magic. It also makes her uniquely qualified to be the maven of her new house. She is perfectly suited for vampire diplomacy. Her mention of not being Gerard's biological daughter feels like foreshadowing for something, and I look forward to learning what it is in future books. I adore Helen and I also really enjoy that while vampires condone violence, lady Illumina was as horrified as a human would be that a child is young as hell and has had to kill before. Maud proving herself and Helen intervening with Illumina was fantastic, and her and her husband adopting Helen as their granddaughter made me grin like an idiot.

Also, Arlan referring to Helen as his daughter ♥️

Very fun, minimal references to 2010s pop culture we're also dotted through this book, especially harkening back to the sly reference to Twilight in one of the earlier books.