Review: Interesting Characters, not much story
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 04 15, 2014
I requested this book from Netgalley (in exchange for my honest opinion) because it was listed as  sci-fi/fantasy so I was expecting urban fantasy, but it missed the action urban fantasy has and it certainly isn't a romance.  Yes, there are a couple of attacks, but there's no revolution as mentioned in the blurb, at least not in this book.It reads more like a sexed up YA book about friend hanging out.  There are 4 prodigy who are training to be the next Kings and Queens of the mys world. They go to class together, out dancing, yak about becoming Kings and Queens, etc.  Besides fight training, we get no insight into the classes or other training until late in the book when the current kings have them practice with their powers and there's little instruction there, it's mostly do it and the kings laughing when they fail and while they try to figure it out.  It was refreshing that they got along well and that Ezra was part of the group and not the trouble making bad boy who stands back and sneers.There is no actual, detailed sex on the written page, just lots of talking about it and a few kisses and stroking.  Again, there was no romance.  Two of the 4 characters are already mated at the beginning and one more is instantly mated to a woman he's never seen, no courting needed.The main characters aren't given much background, if any.  It could at least come up while they're talking.  More info. could be given on their powers, why they boink everyone in sight (doesn't seem like just young adult hormones) until mated, how the King/Queen system works and their hierarchical system, etc.Physical abuse is revealed late in the book and served no purpose that I could see.  It doesn't explain the character's actions, it wasn't needed to show the character's growth and power considering the ending of the book.  It just comes out of the blue.  There's also a failed rape scene which didn't ring true.  The character (a human) attempting the rape didn't behave inappropriately before hand and knew he was dealing with a more powerful mys.  There needed to be more set up instead of just dropping it in, like the physical abuse.The letter from Lily's mom didn't explain anything and there must have been other recourse she could have taken other than dumping Lily as she did.  Perhaps a group home, friends, get the shifter king involved, get Lily's dad involved etc.  Doing what she did, knowing what she did, wasn't understandable.  People make stupid decisions, but that's a problem in the book, people doing things that don't quite make sense because the story isn't detailed or developed enough.Despite the weakness of the story, I did enjoy the 4 main characters and their camaraderie, but I don't feel I could really recommend the book to anyone because I don't think it would truly satisfy a PNR or urban fantasy reader.  It would probably best appeal to a teen who likes either genre and may be intrigued by a possible future romance between Lily and Ezra.