Wow! This was right on par with book 1, leaving me to believe that it's really Thad's frosty and wavering personality that was the problem with book 2. It's the only one that slipped from the incredible, astounding 5 star reading that I'm becoming used to getting from Flores.
I love that my previous issues of there being far too many secrets kept between the Conclave and the protectors of the Gate were challenged, confronted and kicked into touch in this book. I love that the brash and forward Pierce was the one to put the pieces together, while everyone still believed he was too stupid to know what was going on.
Again, it was awesome to see the previous characters and their relationships getting more page time and keeping us in the loop. In this book, Pierce's personality and attitude change was more natural, just in the same organic way that Mason's was and was the one part of Thad's story that I'd been missing. His relationship with Kale, just like Mason's with Drake, was slow going and flirty before it became hot and heavy.
Gerald Wa continues to be an enigma. Part of me believes that he is on their side, but another part of me is suspicious by the secrets that even he continues to keep, while claiming amongst them all that its the Conclave's keeping of secrets that put them in this danger. And where he gets off accusing Thad of causing danger by keeping his secret is rich, but complicates his good/evil ration even more. I feel the same confusion over the Warlock Hag, who I believe I know the identity of, but I have to wait to find out if I'm right.
I LOVED Kale. And, yes, that needs to be in caps. Kale was fun, charming, flirty and innocent in all the right ways. The same way Drake was in book 1, he grasped my heart right from the start with his feisty attitude and open ways. Most of all, I loved his naïvety, such as when they were at the Pig's Eye and he kept spouting off about shrines, oracles and incantations. His dancing to and obsession with the Backstreet Boys was hilarious and took me back to my teen days. It was awesome!
There's so much I want to say but can't, because it would spoil the story. But, I loved that we got to see yet another side to the magical world that the Blackmoors are part of, with a trip to Aeaea and Kale's appearance in such a clever and natural manner.
Again, I have to confess – I almost cried when everyone ditched Pierce at the house. It was brilliant, fun and adorable all at the same time. I couldn't have loved the entire family more than in that moment.
The fact that I spent most of the book smiling pretty much says everything. It was fun, enchanting, exciting and cheered me up after a bad day. I couldn't have asked for more.
“Well, is it?” he asked, arching one dark eyebrow at me.
Why did that adorable smirk make me want to do whatever he asked? I nodded, even tough I knew exactly where this was going.
He crossed his arms and tapped his foot.
Oh hell no. No one got away with tapping their foot at me, but I made the mistake of looking into Kale's big golden eyes and noticing the cute little dimples on his cheeks.