The final installment in this series provides also a conclusion to the Stones of Amaria stories. As the onyx is the last stone to be destroyed, Dawn is the last one to stand against the dictator and crush all his hopes to return. Nevertheless, she needs to win back the Staff of Sullivan, figure out its role and abilities, and of course, wake Seph to bring back someone more important to her. With all the darkness around, only the love of her parents and devoted friendship of her closest ones are the beacon of light.
There is one nice thought that stands out across all the series - your choices are what defines you. It's not the color of magic (in the case of the story), nor is it the looks, talent, whatever abilities or physical features you may think of. Prejudices are strong and one tends to judge based on many signs without really giving the person a chance. I loved this about Dawn, about how she became defined over the course of this series, and even with practicing more and more of black magic, she never deviated from her true self, never changed her heart (only opinions). I much appreciated the way she matured and in the end, was able to find the courage and strength to fight until the last moment. This character development is a strong asset, recognizable also in the other characters, and with such a strong base, the combination with great storytelling and fast pace makes the whole series an amazing read.