When I first got The Girl in the Tower, I hadn't yet read The Bear and the Nightingale. The Bear and the Nightingale was a little tough to get into, but once I did, I couldn't stop reading. The Girl in the Tower thankfully was not as difficult to get into, because I was already familiar with the characters and the world. But one of the best parts about reading fantasy books like the Winternight Trilogy is that even though worlds are familiar, there is still so much to learn as a reader. At its heart, Vasya's story is an adventure, and I loved each magical page. The Russian folklore and history was written as vividly as the fantastical world. If you loved the first book, I highly recommend picking up this incredible sequel.