I tried, really I did. The premise of the story immediately caught my attention. I wanted to read it, to be absorbed by it, to love it. But, no, that didn't happen at all.

On a positive note, I did like the author's phrasing and pacing. His style has an easy flow, inviting us in and letting us see events unfold.

But...

Almost immediately, there is a lot going on and a lot of characters to keep track of. I have not read any of the prior Matt Royal novels, and perhaps I wouldn't have felt so off balance if I'd been familiar with the characters at the start. There is little character development here, and consequently the characters fell flat. Because of this, I'd recommend starting at the beginning of the series if you have interest.

I could have dealt with the scattered directions and multitude of characters, if I'd been able to buy into the story. I couldn't. Nothing about the plot felt believable to me. Examples are difficult to give without spoilers, and I don't want to ruin the story for anyone. In this case, though, examples aren't all that necessary because I didn't believe any of it, not the various storylines and not the characters. This is the kind of book I could have put down midway and never thought about again.

Being the voice of doom is uncomfortable. We always want to love the books we choose to read. This one didn't work for me, but it might be perfect for you.

*I received an advance ebook copy from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for my honest review.* ( )