Shadow Scale by Rachel Hartman

I love this world.  I love the dragons who shrink themselves down into people.  I love the odd half-dragons and their magical abilities.  I love the young Queen and analytically cousin.  And I love Seraphina, who she is and who she finds herself to be.  This book is so expansive, however, I feel like I miss out on some of the very things I grew to love in the first book, Seraphina.  There was just not enough Abdo, Orma and certainly not enough Kiggs (seriously though, there could never be enough Kiggs for my liking).  But oh was there adventure!  And the perfect unraveling of Seraphina at the core, both literally and figuratively.  She is one of my favorite characters baring none.  The worst thing I can say about this sequel is that I waited too long for its awesomeness and now am forlorn at the fact that I think it is the end.  I could read ten more smart, funny, introspective fantasies about these fantastic characters.  But, alas, I do not believe this is in fact a trilogy.  My heart is heavy.

Final recommendations: if you like fantastic females, epic adventures, heart-breakingly evil adversaries, and a wee bit of romance