Review: Series keeps getting better
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 01 5, 2014
I was attracted to the first book in this series when it first came out because it sounded so original. Once I read it I was hooked and each succeeding book has cemented my love for this series. I think this was the best one yet. One reason I love it is that RL Naquin manages to blend lighthearted moments with really serious ones so effectively. I also love all of the characters, especially quirky Zoey, the heroine. Zoey, is an Aegis, or protector of the Hidden (which consists of pretty much any creature from myth and legend that you could think of including fairies, brownies, trolls, harpies, hellhounds, etc.). She's also an empath and is able to feel others' emotions. In the first book she discovered her role as Aegis and has been on a wild ride ever since as she gets pulled deeper into this hidden in plain sight world. She's currently the only functioning Aegis left. The others have all disappeared and the overarching story arc of the series is her attempt to figure out what has happened to them (her mother is one of the disappeared ones).At the beginning of the book, Zoey is a bit overwhelmed by all of her new responsibilities, but she continues to rise to every challenge and gain friends and allies. I love that although she's stubborn and doesn't want anyone to protect her, she also is smart enough to know when to back off and wait rather than rushing into a bad situation, and she's willing to accept help from her circle of friends and family rather than trying to do it all herself. Her relationships with Maurice, her closet monster, Sara, her best friend, and Riley, her Reaper boyfriend, are strong and a source of strength and comfort for her. The danger keeps ramping up in each successive book, and the author is not afraid to include real consequences for some of the characters.It's hard for me to say whether this book would stand on its own without having read the previous ones. Like all good UF series, it's always best to start at the beginning, but I think you could probably pick it up here and not be too confused (you'd miss out on two other good books though). I'll be eagerly looking forward to the next book in April.