I am not surprised but I am a bit disappointed that this series is also set in the Other Realm world.
The world is very complex but shallow. The author focuses on quantity over quality which results in a lot of details that don't hold up to closer scrutiny. The implicit excuse is always that it's culture and tradition and whatnot and to be fair that is a reasonable explanation for a lot of it. The book even makes fun of all the strange cultural and linguistic quirks we humans have. But the problem is that these strange and arbitrary rules and cultural norms among all the different supernatural races are the only things that define most of them. Instead of a few quirky, arbitrary details, this world appears to be an overwhelming maze of random rules, a few of which conveniently facilitate the plot.
They don't interconnect throughout this society. There are no deeper complex interactions between these cultures. There just is no depth to it. I don't know how else to express it.
I never really felt like this otherworld and the many different societies in it are real.
They are all like movie extras, only there to fill the background.
I already had the same problem with The Other Realm, the first series in this world, but because I am already somewhat familiar with it now, it becomes even more obvious how little actual depth there is behind all the shallow details.

But that aside, my biggest problem was the MC. She is this modern evolution of the Mary Sue type. Capable, independent, strong, very attractive, universally liked, with lots of powerful friends, and sure in her own sexuality.
In short, she is perfect. Not in the YA utterly boring Mary Sue kind of way but in a more modern and badass way.
I usually like this type of character if she is authentic, but as with the Mary Sue trope, it's overdone and unbelievable in this case.
And an even bigger problem at least for me is how shallow she is as a person.
She is constantly preoccupied with her own looks and sex appeal and with low-key judging other people's appearance.
There is a fine line between confidence and arrogance and this character regularly crosses it.
Arrogance can be a very interesting flaw but the problem is that the book doesn't recognize the arrogance of its MC. It is treated as if it's all her due. It's this chick-lit attitude but in a Jacky-Leon-inspired world.
I just couldn't stand her as a character, primarily because her flaws are not intentional and are never acknowledged by the narrative.
The MC of The Other Realm is kind of the same type but it's less grating there because it's not as in-your-face obvious.

I think you could read this book without having read the first series but a lot of the uninspired world-building is skipped over and only the most important details get explained properly again so I would say you probably miss out on parts of the story if you haven't read the first series.
I almost wanted to write "miss out on the nuance" but there really isn't a lot of nuance. Just a lot of arbitrary rules you just have to know to understand the simple reasoning of various characters fully.

I believe it's a mistake that many authors these days choose to write multiple series set in the same universe. Sure, this approach can work out brilliantly and be hugely successful if the universe is well-crafted and can stand on its own without leaning on the main series. Unfortunately, most attempts, like this one, fall short and would need extensive retconning to be properly fixed. In my view, a single flawed entry that the author refuses to retcon can have a domino effect, tainting the entire world. By continuously writing in these interconnected worlds, authors are essentially carrying their past mistakes with them from one series to another. These flaws accumulate, and each new series in the world risks inheriting them by default.

I will not continue with this series. ( )