I enjoyed this young adult fantasy story in many ways. I especially appreciated the fact I could recommend this book to anyone over 12 who enjoys fantasy and is not extra sensitive to violence/death. A refreshing, light read with no vile language or erotica to assault you. I never put the book down, but read it from cover to cover in one go. It went by quickly, ending on a cliffhanger. I won't give anything away, but I just couldn't believe a certain person--one of my favorite characters--was struck down, leaving me to wonder if they were alive or dead or would be healed. Well, I guess I will have to wait for the next installment.
The author's strengths (to me) are her ability to write beautiful descriptions, the way she fleshes out her characters (and makes one care for them), her pacing, and the feeling that much more could have gone wrong but didn't. I love the cover!