High Steaks

Great book from start to finish. Follows up from the previous book smoothly and sets a strong foundation for the next, while not sacrificing on its own story. Big improvement over my main complaint in the last book, where new cast had been difficult to keep track of. Here each character is given clear setup and personality, with their own goals, leaving them each memorable and easily recognizable. We get quite a bit more glimpses into the history and structure of the magical world this time around, as our stubborn cougar friend continues to claw at the status quo. We see the "Freelance Familiars" concept more fully realized, with an in universe weight behind the label. Rudy throws bombs, snark, and old trivia. Thomas butts heads with people and continues to break things. An old friend makes a welcome return to the cast. A climax that's cleverly done and well setup through the book. Strong supporting cast of characters. Continued world building. It all adds up for a great read.