Overall Rating: 3 stars
Date Finished: January 27, 2017
Mercedes Lackey was one of my favorite authors growing up, I clearly remember reading the whole Valdemar series. And yet, as an adult when came back to Lackey and read the 500 kingdoms series. It had a very promising start but I only made it a couple books into the series before I chose not to continue with the series. Then I read the first book of the One dozen daughters series and found myself quite disappointed. And it hits especially hard when it comes from an author I adored when I was younger.
Because of that I was reluctant to start this series. I was super excited that Lackey was doing a YA series and yet I was so fearful that I wouldn't like it. I just really wanted to love this series!
In the first chapter I found myself a bit bored and I was really worried for what that meant for the rest of the book. Most of the chapter was the character just thinking to herself and while I intrinsically understand the the character was giving us some background and world building, the way that it was presented just wasn't exciting or overly enjoyable.
And the main character even has a show down with one of the biggest, baddest monsters that exist, but it was all over so quickly and was all so anticlimactic. And the first guy she meets in the city she if blushing and falling over herself for and he of course later becomes the love interest. I will at least say that there was no love triangle and thank goodness for that.
And yet, as I kept reading I found that I was beginning to enjoy the book more and more. There was no big moment where it all turned around, I just found myself halfway through the book and was surprised to find that I didn't want to put it down.
Now, while the character herself is a bit stereotypical she is also consistent. There's no major personality changes throughout and she stays focused. But what I really enjoyed most about all of it was the hounds. Each hunter has a different kind of hound and I found myself wondering what kind of hound each might have. I will admit that I had to look of some of those references because I had no idea what she was talking about when she was describing them.
And seeing their different powers and skills and especially seeing her continually improve and strengthen her pack was fun to watch. And then just the personalities of the hounds in and of themselves was fun.
There are definitely still some issues but by the time I reached the end of the book I could honestly say that I enjoyed it and that I was looking forward to the next one.
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