I am torn about what to rate this. It took me forever to get through this book, and not just because it's long. There is a lot of explaining and world building. I mean a LOT. And while I suppose most of it is pretty necessary, it made for an extremely boring read at times. That being said, the parts that weren't boring were freaking amazing. I was fist pumping in my mind and grinning like an idiot. There are a couple of mini-battles that are so well-written, it felt like watching a movie in slow motion. Ms. Wilson really knows how to make you visualize her world. (Guess that's where the world-building comes in.) Rain and Elysetta's soul mate love story is poetic and almost cheesy. But the cheesiness is welcomed in this case; in fact, it fits perfectly. They need this epic romance to go with the epic fantasy aspect. And this book furthers their relationship in major ways. I love what Elysetta says to Rain when he feels ashamed for wishing for his his 'true mate' when he was a child. "Wanting love is not selfish, Rain. We are all born missing the connections that make us complete." Wow! What an insightful statement, and how true. It's the connection with people that truly makes us who we are.There is also something to be said for the males protecting Elysetta. She constantly has new males pledging their life to her, though for most of the book, she's done nothing to deserve the honor. That changes, though, and she finally becomes a major player between the Fey and Eld war that is a-brewing. One more quote that I thought was great: Elysetta thanks Rain for honoring someone that is very important to her, though also very nearly betrays her. Rain says, "If honor were reserved only for those who never err, none of us would be worthy."So, while I can't rate this a five, the potential for a five is there for the series. The last few chapters were enough to make up for the first few monotonous ones. I have a feeling that Rain and Elysetta will be one of those couples that I can't stop thinking about until I finish their story.
