you're a ten, I'm a four leaf clover :D

A few things I liked in particular:

1) The characters having history. Warriors has always referenced past events (for example, Firestar and Tigerstar are figures that are brought up a lot.) But this time felt notable that characters (particularly Tawnypelt but others too) so regularly recalled events, even minor ones, that they experienced in their lives and applied it to current events. With the plot hammering home the idea that the elders have wisdom to share, I think this was a good choice.

(Lol, although it feels almost silly to praise this book for doing this— like, author remembers events they wrote in a previous book, what a concept! But this is Warriors after all, so I'm not expecting a lot and was pleasantly surprised. I think Clarissa did her research! Like pulling that Tawnypelt's first apprentice was also named Starling?? That's such a minor thing, no reader would have even cared if it wasn't included, but I was delighted that it was. It just made it feel like care was put into writing this book.)

2) The character interactions were great! Maybe this is just my TNP bias showing, but I loved that the friendship between the surviving TNP travel gang was emphasized. I adored Squirrelstar teasing Tawnypelt about her new crush, and how Tawnypelt indulged her to cheer her up. But there were other good interactions too: Jayfeather and Moonpaw's relationship continues to be a bright spot. I really liked the emphasis too on Brambleclaw being Jayfeather's father, especially when the books have been previously weird about adoption.

And I particularly liked the moment when Nectarsong teased Starlingpaw that "all cats know that white-tipped tails are a sign of trickster." (That's another thing that I mean when I say the world in this book felt "lived in." Like where have these cute cat myths been for the 80+ other books in this series!)

3) I liked Starlingpaw as a protagonist. I was sad to leave Leafstar's POV, but I am definitely invested in Starlingpaw now and his story. He was not nearly as angsty or annoying as I feared he might be. I actually found his POV quite funny. Love how he's obsessed with Tawnypelt, and how she barely knows his name. And how he latches on to "investigating" Fidgetflake with very little reasoning behind why. What a weird little boy.