I HATE CLIFFHANGER ENDINGS! 3 1/2 stars.
The story is intense and well-written: I liked all the description of the world of Inkheart and the new characters.
I am very excited for the final book of the trilogy, and while this didn't compare at all to Inkheart, it wasn't terrible, it kept me turning pages--my rating is really based on the ending more than anything. *shakes fist*
Onto the bad points...
Well...Fenoglio IRRITATES me. He started off as a sweet old man, and I suppose it's fair under the unfortunate plot twists in his own story he would be stressed, but he comes off to me as arrogant and self-righteous and I'm all like "We GET you created the characters! They're still people--plots change, just like life!" 
Then there's so many deaths and injuries that'll make you think you're going to lose them, even a TEASE death!
I mean, Mo gets near fatally shot! I said "NOOOOOOOO!" in my brain.
Then Dustfinger....my husband...DIES. THE FEELS! DAMN YOU FARID! 
Altogether this was a pretty good book, not great, certainly not amazing,
but a well done sequel to Inkheart. But that ending made me go:
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