Karigan's story reminds me of the kind of tale Mercedes Lackey might write in some respects--a tale of a school-age child coming into her own, discovering her power, becoming an adult, and running headlong into destiny. However, I like Kristen's approach better than Mercedes's. Ms. Lackey's books tend to be blatant wish-fulfillment fantasies, in which the teen in question overcomes bullies, shows everyone up, and becomes a hero in everyone's eyes. I find such books to be like cupcakes: delicious, but you can't eat more than one or two at a time.