Toby finds herself playing diplomat in a realm that is not what it seems and with a queen she deposed, only now she's going to have to deal with complicated politics. It's a story where things are messy and where you learn more about the past of some of the motley crew Toby is gathering around herself. ( )

Is it just me, or has Tybalt been turned into a magical taxi cab? He had so much more personality in the earlier books. Now it seems like he's just around to tell us how mad he would be if Toby died. ( )

This is a series that I have entirely enjoyed. I love watching the characters grow, and seeing how they make it through the increasingly dire circumstances that McGuire puts them through. Even though this is the ninth book of the series, it hasn't lost anything or become repetitive...it's like you learn a little more about the world and it comes just that much more to life with every installment. It was interesting to see inside a new Kingdom in this book (really our first look outside of the Kingdom in the Mists), and to see the new cruelties that the Fae are capable of in McGuire's world. This book was easy to read, compelling, and the kind of book where you just have to stay up a few more minutes to finish it up. Really enjoyed this book. ( )

I have very much enjoyed the October Daye series. However... this one was my least favorite. There's a LOT of conversation and very little action. There is a LOT of explanation that is repeated from previous books. For example, we get to read again why Tybalt is afraid to ride in the car, about Karen's dream gift, and about Toby's ancestry and how her gifts/powers work. We are in the 9th book of the series- so we already know all this stuff and it felt like unnecessary filler to me. I mean, seriously, if somebody picks up the 9th book in a series without having read the first 8- well... they deserve to not understand what is happening.
Also, guess what? There is a threat of war in this book! It's really not even a spoiler to say that, because we've already been there several times. Ho hum. Please give us something new.
I live in the Portland, Oregon area, so it was fun to have a story centered there, although aside from vague references to VooDoo Donuts (with no brand mentioned), a reference to Powell's Bookstore, and the "Keep Portland Weird" ideology, there is really nothing said to set it apart from the typical San Fransisco story location.
The other thing that got on my nerves in this book is the author has evidently decided to address some "issues", such as racial purity and alternative lifestyles. I read these books for entertainment and it annoys me when authors think they have to somehow address real life issues in fictional stories. I read to escape reality, not be reminded of it and I didn't enjoy the slightly preachy, slightly condescending undertones throughout this story.
Honestly, this story felt like the author was required to write it, but really didn't have any new ideas or story lines to work with, so she did a lot of "review", a lot of conversation, and threw in some things that personally mean something to her, then called it a book.
I struggled to finish this book. I hate writing negative reviews, but this time, I really couldn't think of anything I liked about this book. :( ( )

It was entertaining but I have questions. Spoilers below asterisks.
***
What was motivating our Cu Sidhe double agent? Really didn't get that and I was disappointed after coming to like her brother so much in earlier books.
Elf shot has been used a few too many times as a convenient neutralizer for multiple powerful characters. Really glad old Walther has whipped out his history changing counter potion. ( )